UP Budget Session Day 1: LoP demands Urdu translation, Yogi says SP wants to make kids maulvis

After senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and LoP Pandey opposed the introduction of English and sought the inclusion of Urdu instead, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday alleged “double standards” and claimed that “SP leaders send their children to English medium schools but want to turn children of others into “maulvis” (clerics).”

Earlier, Speaker Satish Mahana sought to explain to the members about the options available and how they can use the new system to hear the translated speeches of members. In response, Pandey said, “We do not oppose regional languages. But use of English in this Assembly is not appropriate because it was removed from the official working languages after a long struggle. An attempt is being made to weaken Hindi by introducing English. English should not be the medium here… You could have introduced Urdu instead.”

Replying to the SP leader, Adityanath said, “These are sub-languages of Hindi. Representatives from all sectors come to the Assembly, who might not necessarily be the experts in literature or language. Thus, if anyone cannot speak fluently in Hindi, they can put forth their views in Awadhi, Braj etc.”

Targeting SP leaders for opposing the move and instead demanding inclusion of Urdu, Adityanath said, “You are advocating Urdu as the very character of Samajwadis has become that of double standards. You send your children to English schools but want to send children of others to schools in villages, where there are no facilities.”

Claiming that his government was working to promote regional languages by opening academies for Bhojpuri and Awadhi, Adityanath alleged that the SP’s opposition was “mere hypocrisy”.

Pandey questioned, “Urdu is also a language used in this state. Who all will understand the proceedings in English?”

Adityanath, however, said, “Brajbhasha is so rich that Sant Surdas composed his works in this language. Similarly, Sant Tulsidas ji composed Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi, which helped not just North India but also the NRIs during the crisis.”

He said, “It has become a nature of the Samajwadi Party to oppose every good work. They had opposed the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat’s decision to recognise the local languages too.” He stressed that his government was committed for the promotion of Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Braj and Bundelkhandi.

Replying to Pandey, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna explained that there are many members who cannot speak in “formal language” and thus these languages have been introduced for their benefit. Citing the reason for introducing English among regional languages for translation, he said that there is nothing wrong with having knowledge of English. “if someone sitting here is explaining his views in Hindi and someone from south India wants to listen to the proceedings, they can listen to it in English too. It would not only expand our culture but also proceedings of the state Assembly. Even in the Supreme Court, till date English is used.”

Khanna said “even those sitting in America” can listen to the proceedings this way” and added English has “not been made compulsory” in the House.

— with PTI inputs