Express News Service By

CHENNAI:The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) directive to have all communications in Hindi have not gone down well with employees who are opposing the move.

Tamil Nadu Life Insurance Progressive Employees Union have condemned the implementation of Hindi in Southern Zonal Office saying it would be difficult for the staff to communicate in Hindi as majority of its clientele is in Tamil.

The Union, which staged a protest here on Friday, has demanded that there is a need for department of Tamil to be set up in southern zonal Offices similar to Official Language Implementation department.

A Union member has also stressed the need for having the proposal form in Tamil. “It would be easier for the local population who want to take up the policy as they would understand the contents,” said a Union member.

The Union members also complain that all the proposal forms of LIC were either in English or Hindi. “It has been difficult for the employees as well as agents to decipher the language and put forth the contents before the common man in Tamil Nadu. There are many who don’t even know English,” says a Union member, who is protesting against the implementation of Hindi.

The employees also allege that 50 per cent of the books procured in LIC libraries are only in Hindi. Even officials in the rank of assistant regional officer and above has to sign in Hindi, a union member says.

“We want all the communication in Tamil and all exams conducted by LIC in Tamil,” a Union member said.

The demands also included allowing the policy holder to sign in Tamil as it is his mother tongue.

When Express tried to contact LIC officials, they refused to comment. An LIC official said the Hindi officer should comment on this. However, he could not be reached for comments.