Lucknow, 10 May. Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay termed the popular English poems like ‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa’ and ‘Rain Rain Go Away’ taught in the nursery as against Indian culture and values and said that along with teaching children to lie, these poems also promote the feeling of selfishness. Minister Upadhyay, at a program organized to honor ‘Shikshamitras’ in Kanpur earlier this week, said that education does not only mean becoming a teacher, but also shaping the coming generations and developing good values in them.
He said, “It may seem like a small thing, but the journey from education to becoming a teacher is very difficult. When you become a teacher, you mold the coming generations and build the country, but where will the values come from?” Criticizing the popular poem ‘Johnny Johny Yes Papa’ taught to young children, the Higher Education Minister said that parents proudly ask their children to recite this poem without thinking about the message it conveys.
He said, “Look at the culture. We fondly tell our children to tell uncle – ‘Johnny Johnny yes papa, eating sugar no papa.’ This poem gives the values of lying. ‘Telling a lie, no papa… Open your mouth, ha-ha-ha.’ It is a joke. After all, what are we teaching children?”
Upadhyay said, “Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day, Little Johnny Wants to Play.” That is, Little Johnny wants to play, so the rain goes away. The child’s play became most important. Which sanskar is this? This is not our culture, which is based on ‘Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaay’.” He said Indian culture emphasizes collective welfare and harmony with nature rather than individual convenience.
Criticizing the minister’s statement, the Samajwadi Party said the BJP, which has “failed” on the development front, is raising such issues to divert people’s attention from the core issues.
Party spokesperson Sharvendra Vikram Singh said such issues are raised only to hide the “failures of the BJP”. “The BJP did nothing in the last nine years. Since they have nothing to tell the people, they raise such issues,” he said.
Comments are closed.