Samajwadi Party (SP) oppose english medium education and computers

I tried to look at the SP manifesto on the party website but it seems that they have not got time to upload the manifesto yet but the newspapers have found two topics in the manifesto that have triggered a war of words between the parties. First, party wants to stop the English medium education and second, they see computers as causing unemployment in the country.

At surface, these two proposals looks very backwards and anti-development but I see some merit in these two. Party may have proposed these without much thought and good intention but arguments can be put in favour of these proposals.

We are so much amused these days with the large English speaking Indian population and competitive advantage it creates against China that we ignores the fact we are losing our culture and language. We should not forget that India was founded and celebrated for 'unity in diversity' but unfortunately some of the English speaking schools and other institutions have created a class in the country that is considered better than other. Most of the jobs go to this elite and so-called educated section. People who can not speak English fluently are considered less educated even if they have better and higher education.

Most of the middle class families aspire to send their kids in the 'public' school so that they can learn English and compete in the job market. In the big cities, and now in tier 2 and 3 cities as well, kids can not count in their local language. They have no idea about the local stories, art, history and fables. They know better about the work of English authors and poets.

I have nothing against learning English as a language but not the expense of losing our local language. English is language of universal conversation so we can not live in the global economy without it. Probably SP party did not had thought the issue from this perspective but they have raised a valid concern as a true socialist party.

The other issue of computers is difficult to understand. It has created social and psychological problem for the young generation. This I will discuss at other time.