Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar speaks to NDTV.
Starting next week, ministers will be more accessible and will communicate more, said
Prakash Javadekar to NDTV today.
Mr Javadekar, who is in charge of the ministries for Environment as well as Information and Broadcasting, was responding to allegations that since the new government took charge, ministers have been restrained in sharing their opinions and responding to requests for information.
"There was lot of work to be done. From next week you'll find ministers talking to the media. It will not be one way communication. We will listen (to you) also," he said.
The minister spoke of recruiting "digital volunteers" to post prompt answers to questions and complaints posted by the public. He also said the government will use social media extensively. "You ask the drivers of your TV channel's car... every driver, every cameraman must be having at least two Facebook accounts. So that is the reality of India," he said, while stressing that communication on social media will be posted "in not just Hindi and English...(but) in all regional languages."
Last week, a government order for bureaucrats and departments to use Hindi for official social media accounts ignited fierce political push back from an array of leaders, most of them from Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, whose AIADMK is the third-largest party in parliament, called for the ordered to be amended. Two allies of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, the MDMK and PMK, said the order amounted to "
an unacceptable imposition of Hindi."
The government clarified that the order applies only to Hindi-speaking states but opponents like Jayalalithaa say the spirit of the decree is offensive and alienates huge swathes of people in states like hers. (
Also read: After DMK Objects, Government Clarifies Hindi-First Order)