‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa’ against Indian culture: What’s behind UP Education Minister’s remark
Minister claims popular English nursery rhymes teach kids dishonesty and selfishness
UP Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay Yogendra Upadhyay, Uttar Pradesh Minister for Higher Education and Science and Technology, sparked a controversy over his statement that two popular English nursery rhymes – ‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa’ and ‘Rain Rain Go Away’ – sow seeds of dishonesty in the minds of children and are against Indian values and culture.
Upadhyay first spoke about the rhymes at an event in Agra earlier this week while addressing a gathering of Shiksha Mitras (ad hoc teachers in government primary schools).
He referred to them on Saturday as well while speaking at an event, addressing students and teachers of a prominent private school in Lucknow.
When contacted, Upadhyay explained the reason behind his criticism of the message in the two rhymes.
He said, “What does this rhyme teach (us) — Johnny Johnny Yes Papa, Eating Sugar No Papa, Telling Lies No Papa, Open Your Mouth Ha Ha Ha. These lines teach children to tell lies. No one ever thought about how this rhyme imparts wrong lessons to young children.”
The minister added, “Our culture is ‘Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay’ (for the welfare of all, for the happiness of all). But this rhyme ‘Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day, Little Johnny Wants To Play, Rain Rain Go Away‘ teaches children ‘Swantah Sukhay (self happiness)’. This is not our culture.”
He further said, “Education teaches us culture. I spoke about these rhymes recently at an event in Agra… What we are teaching through these rhymes to children of a tender age… I do not have any objection to the language… but we should see that we do not teach anything, even by accident, that cultivates the wrong culture among children. I said the same thing at a school in Lucknow as well today. I will keep speaking about it…”
He added, “I was told today that Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party chief) has commented on my statement. Akhilesh Yadav cannot think to that extent.”
Asked why he didn’t raise the matter with the government, he only replied, “I will keep speaking about this intentionally, everywhere…
“I don’t bother being criticised for raising objections to certain lines in these rhymes.”
Upadhyay won the UP Assembly elections in 2012, 2017 and 2022 and is currently an MLA from the Agra South seat.
Share
