Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Feb. 24 witnessed peals of laughter when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recalled how a child described a politician donning a cap as “goonda” and appealed to members to see that the august House did not look like a “drama company”.
“A child once pointed out to a politician sporting a cap and described him as goonda [hooligan],” he said, winding up a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor for her address to the joint sitting of the State legislature last week.
Mr. Adityanath recalled that he had once been to a Basic Shiksha Parishad school in a village. There, an “anna prashan” (a ceremony where a child takes cereals for the first time) function was also organised.
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At that function, some people belonging to a certain political party rushed in to lodge protest. They were donning caps.
A toddler, who was there with his mother for the ceremony, was surprised to see them and screamed, “Mummy, mummy... look goonda, goonda.”
“Now see what impression a two-an-a-half-year-old child has in his mind about a person wearing a cap. This impression has become a common opinion,” the CM said.
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Mr. Adityanath then said it should not be taken as a personal affront by any member.
The House had a light banter as till then it was not clear as to whom the Chief Minister could have been referring to.
But in the same breath he reached out to Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary sitting on the opposite side with his Samajwadi Party’s bright red cap on.
“It would have looked nice if you had used a turban or a ‘safa’,” he said smilingly.
Mr. Adityanath referred to Mr. Chaudhary’s constituency in Ballia, a place associated with late Prime Minister and socialist leader Chandrashekhar, and said it would have been better if he avoided such things.
He also said that the august House should not be taken lightly as a “drama company” with some members sporting caps in red, some blue, some yellow or even green.
“A new tradition has started. Such things were never seen in the past. We used to see it only in drama parties,” the Chief Minister said, addressing the Chair.
The Budget session of the State legislature commenced on February 18 with the Governor’s address to the joint sitting of both the Assembly and Council.