Confusion over singing Vande Mataram in Asom

There is confusion in Asom about the state government's directive regarding the singing of Vande Mataram.

There is confusion in Asom over separate statements issued by Asom government spokesman and Education Minister Ripun Bora about the state government's directive to educational institutions regarding the singing of Vande Mataram.

The state government issued a press statement on September 1 wherein it was said the state government had directed all educational institutions to sing Vande Mataram to mark the centenary of national songs.

As per the government statement, the education department had issued directives to all educational institutions to facilitate the singing of the first two stanzas of the song at 11.00 am on September 7.

The directives triggered protests from leaders of religious minority organisations, who said that it might hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim students.

Alarmed at the opposition from a section of Muslim leaders, Asom government issued another press statement on Saturday stating that the state government had only called upon educational institutions in the state to facilitate the singing of Vande Mataram as per the programme of the central government. The government stated that it did not make it mandatory for the institutions to sing the song.