MNS leader calls for stopping caller tunes on Covid-19 awareness

The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has demanded that caller tunes about coronavirus awareness should be stopped immediately as they often delay urgent calls, and sometimes calls do not get connected. Since March, on the orders of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), all mobile telecom operators have been playing the tunes in the major regional languages.

In a tweet, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said for the last several months, DoT has been providing information about coronavirus through caller tunes. But today, there is already a lot of public awareness, and the caller tunes often delay important phone calls, he said.

In the initial phase, while launching the awareness campaign, the caller tune spoke about taking precautionary measures to be taken. "We want to fight the disease, not the patient. Please cover your nose and mouth properly when venturing out of the house," was the message. But the tune has now changed to "Unlock process has started in the country, but you should not leave the house unless it is very urgent".

Mobile service users have said that they are constantly troubled by the tunes, which last for a few seconds before calls get connected.