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Ekata Yatra: Amid the ongoing controversy over the national anthem, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that singing Vande Mataram will be made mandatory in every school and educational institution of the state.
One Journey: Amid the ongoing controversy over the national anthem, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that singing Vande Mataram will be made mandatory in every school and educational institution of the state. Addressing the ‘Ekta Yatra’ program in Gorakhpur, he said that this step will inspire feelings of reverence and pride towards Mother India and the motherland among the citizens. He said that there should be a feeling of respect towards the national song Vande Mataram. We will make its singing mandatory in every school and educational institution of Uttar Pradesh. The political controversy over the national anthem started when Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that the seeds of division were sown by removing key verses of the song in 1937 and such a divisive mentality remains a challenge for the country. This comment is being seen as an attack on Congress. The Congress hit back sharply, alleging that Modi had insulted the Congress Working Committee of 1937 and Rabindranath Tagore.
Congress’s counterattack: RSS has no role in independence
Party leader Jairam Ramesh said that the Prime Minister’s comment was shocking but not surprising. He further said that RSS had no role in the freedom movement. Congress termed it as shameful to make divisive allegations against Tagore and demanded an apology. It is known that Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875, was officially adopted as the national song of India by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950. Recalling the role of Vande Mataram in the freedom movement, Adityanath said that it was the song that awakened the consciousness of the nation. Every revolutionary, youth, women and children who fought for freedom had Vande Mataram on their lips. Targeting the Samajwadi Party, he accused the Congress of appeasement politics. Said that he had opposed the national anthem in the past.
Ekta Yatra will be organized in the entire state
Accusing the Samajwadi Party of continuing its legacy of opposing national integration, Adityanath said some people refuse to attend Patel’s birth anniversary, but do not hesitate to honor Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Such double standards are dangerous for national integrity. The Chief Minister warned against forces that divide the society on caste, language or regional basis. Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal Ziaur Rahman Burke had recently said that no Muslim can be forced to sing Vande Mataram as some of its words are not in accordance with the teachings of their religion. Taking a dig at his comment, Adityanath said that those who insult great leaders and revolutionaries of India, in a way, encourage the separatist forces challenging the unity and nationalism of the country. Adityanath said that ‘Ekta Yatra’ will be organized in all 403 assembly constituencies of Uttar Pradesh.
