Yogi Adityanath exhorts teachers to know more about culture, tradition

LUCKNOW: Coming down heavily on teachers of Uttar Pradesh, chief minister Aditya Nath on Tuesday said that at a time when the world was curious to know about India's culture and traditions, our teachers don't want to know about them. In fact, they don't even feel it was important to know about any philosophical sects and their teachings, he said.
Speaking at the Teachers' Day award ceremony here on Tuesday, Yogi said UP was a heartland of Buddhist pilgrimage.
“He was born in Kapilvastu, near to UP. He attained `mahaparinirvana' in Kushinagar, delivered his first sermon in Sartnath. In Shravasti, he confounded his critics with a millionfold manifestation of himself. Despite so many important pilgrimage sites, UP does not have an international centre of Buddhist studies.For this, people go to Japan, Yangoon, the places Lord Buddha never visited,'' Yogi said.
“China knows the power of Lord Buddha and wants to attract people from everywhere towards it. For this, they are setting up world's biggest centre for Buddhists. We (Teachers in UP) are sitting idle. We neither know him (Buddha), nor we are interested in knowing him, and Buddhism. In fact, teachers are not at all keen on knowing any philosophical sect, be it Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism. They are of no importance to them,'' said Yogi, adding, today, there was no Buddhist country whose citizens are not eager to come to India, especially UP, the land of Lord Buddha.
Thanking the PM for ma king the world realise the importance of Yoga, Yogi said, it was because of him that the UNO announced June 21 as World Yoga Day. “On many airports today, one can see photos of `Suryanamaskar' and Lord Buddha in meditation pose. The world wants to follow us, come to our country, but Indians (read UP teachers) want to do nothing,'' Yogi said. He added, it is in UP that the biggest cultural fest -Kumbh -takes place, and the congregation witnesses 15 crore footfall, which is the total population of some countries.“But teachers do not want to research on its Kumbh tradition, when and how it came into existence,'' the CM said.
Saying that education is a challenge and that there has been a drastic fall in its quality in UP over years, Yogi asked the teachers to find the causes plaguing the education system and solutions to fix them.
“A few decades ago, maximum number of teachers in North India were from UP.Gradually the numbers diminished. We have good universities, colleges, and schools. But India is missing from the world ranking. In a population of 22 crore, can't we give teachers to the world again?'' Yogi asked.
No award on `sifarish', says Yogi
Before giving awards to the teachers for their exemplary contribution, Yogi said, no teacher should be given award on any politicians' recommendations. “Only genuine teachers, who have made a difference, should be awarded,'' he said. Giving `guru dakshina' to the teachers, Yogi announced increase in the prize money for primary and secondary education teachers from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. While higher education teachers get Rs 3 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh as prize money, primary and secondary teachers get only Rs 10,000. Yogi also directed the officials to make the selection process online to ensure transparency, and increase participation from all districts. He said, from next year, one teacher each from primary and secondary from all 75 districts would be felicitated. He also announced service extension for primary and secondary teachers up to the age of 65 years. So far, the extension was till 64 years.
`Some univs talk of only intolerance'
The CM said that a few words like `intolerance' and `commnualism' have spoilt the nation. Those paving the way for the welfare of the world, talking of `Vasudhaiv Kutumbukam', `Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah' are termed as communal by a section of intellectuals and Western media.
He continued, “A few higher education institutions and universities have in fact, been made a centre, where only commnualism and intolerance is discussed. They don't talk about tolerance, vast culture, and what India has given to the world.Instead, deliberations are made on how to malign India's image, damage the country's reputation. They even validate Pakistan's remarks on India in order to show the country as an isolated one before the world.'' The situation turns worse when teacher fraternity gets associated with it.