TO SING or not to sing? The State Government has not issued any clear directive to educational institutions on whether to sing the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ on campuses to mark its 100 years on Thursday.
With the State Government preferring to play safe on the issue, several colleges are on the horns of a dilemma. Requesting anonymity, senior officials of the Education Department said that they sent a letter from the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) with a note adding “for necessary action” to all colleges. While some colleges have received the ambiguous missive from the government, others are still waiting for it.
Thus, the song that inspired the nation during the freedom struggle will be sung at institutions like the National PG College and the Jai Narain PG College which have received the government directive.
National College principal SP Singh said the college would hold rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ at 11 am. “The government letter talks about 100 years of the national song and mentions the first few lines of Vande Mataram,” he said.
Jai Narain PG College principal SD Sharma said that NSS volunteers would sing the national song on the college campus. Others like the Kali Charan Degree College, too, are willing to sing along. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad student leaders will hold a function at the Lucknow University Shaheed Chowk at 11 am.
But there were others who said that there would be no such recitation on their campuses.
Jai Narain PG College principal SD Sharma said that NSS volunteers would sing the national song on the college campus. Others like the Kali Charan Degree College, too, are willing to sing along. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad student leaders will hold a function at the Lucknow University Shaheed Chowk at 11 am.
But there were others who said that there would be no such recitation on their campuses.
“We have not received any directive from the government,” a few principals said. Basic shiksha adhikari Mukesh Kumar Singh said since his office had not received any instructions from the higher-ups, no message was passed on to schools.
However, some schools like the CMS, will hold a function despite not having received any government fiat on the subject.