Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyaya has now turned his attention from “Johnny, Johnny Yes Papa” to another popular English nursery rhyme, “Rain, Rain Go Away”, arguing that it goes against Indian cultural values and should not feature in school textbooks.
Explaining his objection to the rhyme while speaking to local media, Upadhyaya said, “What is this? Little Johnny wants to play, so he is asking the rain to go away. This is against our traditions. Our tradition is that rain should come because it benefits everyone. But here, for Little Johnny to play, they are asking the rain to leave. That is why it should be removed from textbooks.”
The minister’s remarks come days after he sparked controversy over the English rhyme “Johnny, Johnny Yes Papa”, which he claimed does not reflect Indian values and instead teaches children to lie to their parents.
Addressing a gathering of shiksha mitras, para teachers and contractual educators, at Kanpur’s Merchant Chamber Hall on May 6, Upadhyaya urged teachers to focus on imparting values alongside academic lessons. Referring to India’s ancient Guru-Shishya parampara, he said teachers must rise above textbook-driven education and guide students through everyday life lessons.
Drawing a contrast between Western and Eastern value systems, the BJP leader argued that rhymes such as “Johnny, Johnny Yes Papa” fail to offer the moral grounding needed by the present generation. He specifically objected to the line “Eating sugar? No Papa,” saying it encourages children to lie in front of their parents.
At the same time, Upadhyaya praised traditional Hindi poems that older generations grew up reading, saying they carried deeper life values and cultural meaning.
Now, after questioning why Johnny lies about sugar, the minister also appears concerned about why he wants the rain to stop, especially in a country where a good monsoon is often seen as a blessing for all.
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Published By:
Akshat Trivedi
Published On:
May 9, 2026 14:04 IST
