The Bharatiya Janata Party thinks the English language is taking a hit in the land of Mayawati. In its vision document for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls released Monday, the BJP has promised to encourage English in the state and among children.
The “swadeshi brigade” is of the view that “English is no more a foreign language like it was during the pre-Independence era”. Also, a photograph of actor Amitabh Bachchan finds a place in its vision document with the party promising that Bollywood actors, directors, producers and technicians from Uttar Pradesh will be given due acknowledgement and that the party will help create a favourable atmosphere for shooting films in UP.
Sudheendra Kulkarni assisted the team that drafted this document. The vision document team, headed by senior leader Kesari Nath Tripathi, included Siddharth Nath Singh and Ashok Pradhan among others.
The document, released by party chief Nitin Gadkari in Lucknow, promises corruption-free government, employment opportunities, rural development and housing facilities for everyone by 2020.
The document’s slogan, “Naya Uttar Pradesh — Sarvottam Uttar Pradesh (A new UP — the best UP)” is inspired by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who had said, “Uttar Pradesh is not a bimaru (sick) state but a jujhaaru (valiant) state and has the potential to become a sarvottam (front-ranking) state.”