Trinamool Congress criticises Mulayam's call for English ban in Parliament

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress on Monday criticised Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for seeking a ban on English address in Parliament saying his remarks are worrying.

"The anti-English comments in politics is worrying. It represents disconnect with energies of new India and today's youth," TMC spokesperson and chief whip of the party in Rajya Sabha, Derek O'Brien told reporters.

"Love all languages, including your mother tongue," he said.

Stating that English was important for jobs and the modern economy, the TMC MP said, "We in Bengal suffered for decades due to Left Front government's ban on English teaching at primary education level."

Yadav had said on Sunday that MPs should be banned from speaking in English in Parliament.

"There should be a ban on English address in Parliament. Countries which use their mother tongue are more developed. It's the need of the hour to promote Hindi," he had said.

"The leaders of the country have double character as far as Hindi is concerned. They ask for vote in Hindi but give address in Parliament in English. This should be stopped," he had said, clarifying that he was not against English language per se.