Stop saying ‘hello’ orders Indian state

And other stories from the stranger side of life

Civil servants have been told to stop saying “hello” in the Indian state of Maharashtra, reported The Times. The state government, which said “hello” is too bland and western, told civil servants they should greet the public with “vande mataram” or “I bow to thee, oh motherland”. The state, including its largest city Mumbai, is ruled by Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, who is looking to assert “the cultural supremacy of the Hindu faith and Indian tradition,” said the paper.

Tallest living domestic cat honoured

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up