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Vande Mataram row hots up
AS THE centenary celebration of Vande Mataram on September 7 is drawing closer, voices in favour and opposition of the song are becoming more vociferous.
AS THE centenary celebration of Vande Mataram on September 7 is drawing closer, voices in favour and opposition of the song are becoming more vociferous.
An organisation ‘Rashtra Kai Sajag Prahari’ will take out a torch light procession on Sunday to express its solidarity with the song. On the other hand, Muslim Samaj, an organisation representing members of the Muslim community has opposed the song.
Talking to newsmen here on Saturday, BJP MLA Satish Mahana said that members of ‘Rashtra Kai Sajag Prahari’ would take out a torch light procession from Kachina Mohal at around 5 pm on Sunday to express their solidarity with Vande Mataram.
“The procession will reach the statue of Bharatmata installed at Ghantaghar and members will recite Vande Mataram,” Mahana said.
“It will be a befitting reply to those who are opposing the national song,” Mahana added.
Ridiculing the opposition to Vande Mataram, Mahana said that the song was in praise of a nation and not against any religion.
Also present on the occasion district president of Rashtra Kai Sajag Prahari, Shailendra Sharma said, “Opposition of national song is unfounded and the people opposing it are being misguided.”
He also issued an appeal to masses to make the function successful by reaching Ghantaghar in large numbers.
On the other hand, members of the Muslim Samaj opposed the singing of Vande Mataram.
Talking to newsmen, senior member of the organisation, Sharfuddin Ahmad said, “Song was not given the status of national anthem in the Constitution and only got the status of national song.”
He said that even the first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru gave his consent for singing of the song only after editing the first two stanzas of the song.
Members of the organisation further said that song hurts the feelings of the Muslim community and thus singing of Vande Mataram should not be made compulsory.
