English rhymes like ‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa’ teach children to lie ! : Yogendra Upadhyay, Education Minister, Uttar Pradesh

Yogendra Upadhyay, Education Minister, UP

Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) – Everyone is familiar with the English rhyme ‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa’. Young children in English-medium schools recite this rhyme enthusiastically; however, Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay has stated that this rhyme teaches children to lie. Upadhyay made this statement while speaking at a programme organised in Kanpur city. On this occasion, he also gave examples of some Hindi poems containing excellent life values, listening to which earlier generations had grown up. He also appealed that “teachers should develop a system that imparts values along with education.”

🚸 “Johny Johny Yes Papa” Teaches Children to Lie – UP Education Minister Sparks Debate@YogendraUpadhy stated that rhymes like “Johny Johny Yes Papa” teach children to lie through lines such as “Eating sugar? No Papa.”

He said education should impart values, not just language… pic.twitter.com/ZjyL8LtO4K

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) May 7, 2026

Minister Yogendra Upadhyay said that,

1. When a teacher assumes the role of a Guru, he can impart good values along with education. The line ‘Eating sugar ? No Papa’ in the rhyme ‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa’ teaches children to lie from an early age.

2. English rhymes based on Western culture cannot impart the values that are extremely necessary for today’s generation.

Editorial Perspective

Such rhymes have been taught to Indian students for several decades; yet no one ever showed the courage to question or remove them from textbooks. Now that this issue has been raised openly, the question arises whether such rhymes will finally be removed from the curriculum.