The Hindu : Front Page : Most States make singing of Vande Mataram optional

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 07, 2006

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Most States make singing of Vande Mataram optional

BJP-ruled States make arrangements for its mandatory recitation today

New Delhi: A day ahead of celebrations to mark the centenary of Vande Mataram, most States said the singing of the national song in schools and colleges would not be compulsory even as BJP-ruled States made arrangements for its mandatory recitation in educational institutions and community events.

An order issued by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry asking all States to organise the singing of Vande Mataram on September seven has sparked a controversy, with some Muslim leaders saying the song went against Islamic teachings about not worshipping any person or object.

The BJP-ruled States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand have made the singing of Vande Mataram mandatory.

In Madhya Pradesh, it will also be sung in government offices, while Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda, facing a serious political crisis, called on BJP activists to recite the song.

In Orissa and Karnataka, where the BJP is part of the Government, the singing has been made mandatory. It is not compulsory in Bihar, where the BJP is part of the JD-U-led ruling alliance, but the party has asked its Ministers and MLAs to organise public singing.

Maharashtra, Tripura, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Punjab and Haryana have made the singing optional for students.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition seeking mandatory singing of Vande Mataram in all Government, semi-government and educational institutions. Counsel for the Uttar Pradesh and Central governments told the court they were not going to compel or restrain any one from reciting the song.

The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee head, Avtar Singh Makkar, on Wednesday said he could not prevent Sikhs from singing Vande Mataram in schools run by the shrine management body.

A day after he asked Sikhs not to sing the national song on the commemoration day, Mr. Makkar said, "How can I stop Sikhs from singing Vande Mataram when I cannot even prevent the singing in SGPC-run schools. I, alone, am not powerful enough to direct all members of the community not to sing the national song."

Mr. Makkar had issued a directive on Tuesday to schools run by the SGPC not to recite Vande Mataram as it only "spreads a particular religion and does not fulfil the aspirations of minorities, including Sikhs, Muslims and Christians." "It is a conspiracy to extend communalism in the nation," his statement said.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) led by former MP Simranjit Singh Mann has also announced that Akali leaders would go to schools in Punjab and ensure that no student is forced to sing the national song.

The SGPC is controlled by SAD (Badal), which has an alliance with the BJP in the State. — PTI

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