SP Wants To Promote Urdu To Make Kids Maulvis

The facility includes live translation of members' address to Hindi if they spoke in Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli or Bhojpuri

- HT Correspondent

LUCKNOW: On the first day of implementation of live translation of members' address, the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly witnessed a heated argument between chief minister Yogi Adityanath and leader of opposition in the state assembly Mata Prasad Pandey who demanded including Urdu translation and opposed inclusion of English translation.

"You send your kids to English medium schools but don't want the same facility for others. Rather, SP members want to promote Urdu to make the children maulvis. You oppose every good work done in the state whereas the UP government is working to enrich all the languages. They (SP) want to take country towards fanaticism," the CM said.

The house witnessed a heated exchange as speaker Satish Mahana announced live translation would be available in four regional languages-Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Braj and Bundeli -- as well as English.

Yogi said, "The languages, including Bhojpuri, Bundeli and Braj, have originated from Hindi. The U.P. government has constituted various academies to promote regional languages.

The members in the state assembly have come from various backgrounds. Several of them don't speak fluent Hindi but are comfortable in their mother tongue. They can use the facility provided by the house."

Pandey objected to the live translation facility introduced in English language along with Awadhi and Bhojpuri in the state legislature.

"I oppose English being imposed upon members in the house. Why not the facility is in Urdu," Pandey said.