Samajwadi Party supremo, Mulayam Singh Yadav along with his son and state chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, speak high about the rich culture of Hindi language but reminded that all other languages including English are equally good. ``I do not hate English but I wanted to give lesson to the youngsters that they should love and respect Hindi more, which is also our mother tongue”, claimed Mulayam Singh Yadav while adding that they could not keep aside the Hindi and that it must be used in performing all the government work so that everyone could understand it and justice could be forwarded in real terms to the poorest of the poor of this State.
Mulayam and Akhilesh, were speaking soon after felicitating renowned Hindi Poet, Gopal Das Neeraj, Udai Pratap Singh, and upcoming writer in Sankrit language Mariyam Siddiqui, with ’Sahitiya Siromani’ award. Samajwadi Party supremo claimed that promoting Hindi, would made it easier for the youths belonging to poor and weaker section or those living in small villages, to carry on their studies smoothly and language would came as a barrier before them. He said that by use of English, this gap between people living in Urban areas would those living rural areas is further widened. He said that Hindi and Urdu languages promote peace and unity amongst the citizens irrespective of the status.
Mulayam further claimed that Udai Pratap had taught him English but he was very weak in that language. “Udai Pratap also asked me to work hard other wise I could not even find out my role number”, disclosed Mulayam adding that he learnt the ‘Nal-Damyanti’ character and somehow cleared the examination otherwise people would not know him as ‘Mulayam Pahelwan’, but would call him ‘Mulayam Fail’.
Highlighting the contribution made by Neeraj and Udai Pratap, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said that both had brother sea-change in the Hindi Sansthan.’ Earlier people do not want to visit Hindi Sansthan but after induction of Neerajji and Udai Pratapj, the establishment had seen a sea-change and now people frequented there to learn more and more about the rich culture which Hindi language had.
He said that for this outstanding contribution, both the poets had been honoured not only in India but in many other countries also. He claimed that both are jewels of Hindi language and were brought on the fore-front by Mulayam Singh Yadav. He said that it is a golden moment that the three genius of Hindi-Urdu-Sankrit languages are present together at one platform. Akhilesh also disclosed that his father had taught Hindi to former President APJ Abdul Kalam. “Abdul Kalam always hailed Netaji and said that he had learnt only that much Hindi what has been taught by Mulayam Singh Yadav”, revealed Akhilesh Yadav adding that it was his father who introduced Hindi in the Army when he (Mulayam), was a defense minister in the centre.
Speaking on the occasion, Neeraj said that he started his carrier in 1941 and participated in first ‘Kavi-Sammelan’ in Kolkata. He said that since then he had won many rewards and citation but he was feeling very proud after being honoured in how own Hindi heartland. Udai Pratap, hailing the state government and development work taken by Samajwadi Party government, said that not only in the field of literary, but chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had rewarded talented persons in all fields whether it is sports, film & theater artist, singers etc. While Neeraj and Udai Pratap get Rs 21 lakh along with citation, Mariyam Siddiqui got Rs 11 lakh reward for her writing “Shreemad Bhagwat Geeta, Champions league’, in Sankrit language. Akhilesh also released poetry collection ‘Tumhe Sochta Raha’ by Udai Pratap, Hindi translation of Geetanjali by Sher Jung Garg and ‘Sahitiyagandha’ by Sarvesh Asthana.