A delegation of Biju Janta Dal (BJP) MPs and MLAs on Saturday handed over a memorandum to the Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar to protest against the "imposition of Hindi language" in the hospital for official works.
The delegation also gave the memorandum to Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan, through the Director of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
"Memorandum by MPs and MLAs of BJD protesting the imposition of Hindi language by AIIMS, Bhubaneswar in its orgsational processes and demanding usage of Odia language for the benefit of people of Odisha for availing services from AIIMS, Bhubaneswar," read the memorandum.
BJD said that AIIMS, Bhubaneswar imposed the Hindi language for its documentation, communication and discussion.
"Odisha is the first state to be formed on linguistic basis and we will not like to allow anybody sliding our mother tongue Odia, particularly by any institution that is working for the people of our state," it read.
"AIIMS Bhubaneswar is a public institution. People receiving treatment from AIIMS Bhubaneswar speak Odia and by imposition Hindi on the people of Odisha, it is jeopardising the interests of patients, their attendants and the stakeholders of the society in Odisha," it added.
The BJP delegation demanded that this "arbitrary and discriminatory office order be withdrawn with immediate effect" and Odia language be used in the facility.
( With inputs from ANI )