• Source:JND
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At first it was comments, clothes, and phrases that were considered to be anti-national; however, a UP minister recently claimed some nursery rhymes to be anti-national. Yes, you heard it right. Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay said that some of the nursery rhymes are "anti-national" and against our traditional values.

During a speech, the minister said that 18th-century English verses are actually "anti-Indian." He then claimed that the rhymes Johhy Johny Yes Papa and Rain, Rain, Go Away are against Indian values. He said, "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."

How Did The Netizens React?

The internet soon poured in comments criticising the minister in unique ways. A user said, "I want to know where the children of the respected ones study. Can this information be obtained?"

A second user commented, That's exactly why, because of people like these, the education system has become so pathetic, and the public in the constituency from which they must have won is illiterate, the kind who go on to vote for people like these.

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A third said, "The Education Minister is right—he will now have them recite the new rhyme: 'Pyaj pyaj come away cooling in the home way.'" They will pronounce it in Sanskrit themselves.

The work that needs to be done, they don't do; they only see poetry, which is against culture. Hey, if you have to do something, improve the schools, appoint teachers, increase enrollment, expand infrastructure, make efforts to provide technical education, promote science—but the minister won't do any of this.

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Another said, "Damn, where do these illiterate bumpkins come from?" 


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