Hyderabad: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy led the chorus, accompanied by APCC president K. Keshava Rao, at the rendition of Vande Mataram at Gandhi Bhavan, Congress headquarters, here on Thursday morning.

Notwithstanding all the `noise' whether or not to sing the Vante Mataram, Dr. Reddy said the very mention of Vande Mataram would make every Indian's heart swell with pride.

The lyrics that caught the imagination and remained etched forever in the minds of people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari were a tribute to `Bharat Mata,' he said. "By rendering Vande Mataram, a citizen is only paying tribute to his mother land," he added.

Dr. Rao hoisted the national flag amid an appreciable gathering of party leaders and workers, including Seva Dal members.

He decried the politicisation of the national song and termed the objections to its singing `irrational.' "To sing or not to sing is an option. But trying to extract political mileage is wrong," he said.

When contacted later, Director of School Education S. Balasubramanyam said that orders to sing the national song on the day of its anniversary had been issued to all educational institutions.

He said the occasion apart, institutions had the option of making students sing either of three songs — Vande Mataram, Sare jahan se achcha... or Maa Telugu talliki...

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