Kolkata, May 14 (IANS) Political parties in West Bengal welcomed the state government’s decision to make the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ compulsory in state-run schools. At the same time, Opposition parties in the state said that the national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, must not be compromised in any way.​

Speaking to IANS, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shatorupa said that singing Vande Mataram in schools would instil a sense of national pride and patriotism among students.​

“The entire country has been singing Vande Mataram. The previous Trinamool Congress government had stopped it in West Bengal. Now the Bharatiya Janata Party government has implemented it once more. We welcome the decision. This will help instil a sense of patriotism among students,” said the Bharatiya Janata Party leader.​

The Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, said that it had no issue with the song being sung in schools as it was penned by a Bengali.​

“The song was written by a Bengali. It helps take Bengal’s traditions and cultural values forward. We have no objection to it. But it must be ensured that the message of secularism, brotherhood, and amity is not overshadowed by this,” said Trinamool Congress spokesperson Arup Chakraborty.​

The Congress also welcomed the state government’s move.​

Speaking to IANS, Congress leader Ashutosh Chatterjee said, “No one should have any objection or reservation to this. We welcome the decision to sing Vande Mataram in schools. But we must not oppose Rabindranath Tagore and his songs in any way.”​

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also echoed the same sentiment.​

Speaking to IANS, party leader Kaustav Chatterjee said, “There is no objection to singing Vande Mataram. But the national anthem must not be compromised. We have to protect the Constitution and secularism. That aspect must not be overlooked.”​

The West Bengal government on Tuesday instructed all state-run and aided schools to make the singing of Vande Mataram compulsory during morning assemblies with immediate effect.​

The directive states that every student must sing the national song at the start of the school day. Heads of institutions have been instructed to ensure strict compliance.​

“The singing of Vande Mataram during morning assembly prayers prior to the start of classes should be made mandatory so that Vande Mataram is sung by all students in all schools in the state with immediate effect,” the Director of Education specified in a communication to state-run and state-aided school heads on May 13.​

The move comes shortly after the Union government initiated steps to strengthen provisions related to respect for national symbols, including a proposed amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, that would make obstruction to the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence.​

Earlier, schools in the state traditionally sang only the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, composed by Rabindranath Tagore.​

In recent years, the previous Trinamool Congress government had introduced ‘Banglar Mati Banglar Jol’, also penned by Tagore in 1905 during protests against the partition of Bengal, as the state song.​

–IANS

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