LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has yet again demanded a ban on English. However, this time it is confined to the Parliament House unlike a complete prohibition across the nation.
What provokes the veteran socialist to advocate such an extreme step? Is it because of politics in the cow belt? Or, the leader believes English is an impediment on India’s progress?
English is a living language. It has become a part of our life. Can anybody spend a day without using a word in English? More than half of our population can not speak for more than 15 minutes without using English, even once.
Today a small speech about yourself without using English is the most popular item in welcome events, or for that matter ragging. Be it a young boy or someone matured, people from all walks of life just cannot think of a life without English.
With all respect to the veteran leader from the largest populated state, let Mulayam begin prohibition of English from his own house, family, party and other entities he is heading.
I am sure if he makes a success of it, I will love to promise no more English by me, at least.
“When MPs ask for vote, they do so in Hindi, but address Parliament in English. This should stop,” Mulayam said, adding, “We should use our mother tongue in Parliament. Countries which use their mother tongue are more developed. It’s the need of the hour to promote Hindi.”
Mulayam made the demand at a function held by Hindi Sewa Trust in Etawah on Saturday to felicitate people involved in Hindi’s promotion. Nevertheless, his son and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav congratulated Sachin Tendulkar in English for the Bharat Ratna, through Twitter.
“Sachin u give ur best from last 24 years to india. thanku Sachin will miss u lot. We like ur streight drive. Best of luck for ur future.”
Although Akhilesh speaks to Hindi and English news channels in Hindi, he has spoken in English in the past, the last time in January this year when he addressed a session of the CII Global Partnership Summit in Agra.
Among those in attendance were vice-president Hamid Ansari, commerce minister Anand Sharma and industrialist Adi Godrej. In its 2009 tirade against English, the SP had promised to discourage use of computers, but announced free laptops in its 2012 manifesto for UP elections.
Surprisingly, both the BJP and Congress were silent on Mulayam’s demand. BJP chief Rajnath Singh, incidentally, had spoken in similar vein in July for which he drew considerable flak.
So why such a fuss about the language? Is it sheer hypocracy? Please share your opinion.
