National anthem must have NE, not Sindh, says Congress MP: Facts to know

Congress MP Ripun Bora on Friday moved a private resolution in Rajya Sabha, seeking an amendment of the National Anthem and replacing the word 'Sindh' with 'Northeast' region. Bora, moving the resolution, explained the word 'Sindh' representing Sindh province, no longer a part of India but Pakistan, should be deleted and a word representing 'North East' region, an important part of the country, be added.

The Congress MP from Assam sought an amendment of the National Anthem and replacement of the words.

"North East is an important part of India, it is unfortunate that it is not part of the National Anthem. On the other hand, Sindh is mentioned, which is no longer a part of India but of Pakistan, which is a hostile country," Bora told ANI.

The resolution mentioned the North East region finds no mention in the National Anthem.

"Then President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad had in a statement on January 24, 1950 said the composition consisting of the words and music known as 'Jana Gana Mana' is the National Anthem of India subject to such alterations in the words as the Government of India may authorise as occasion arises," the resolution said.

Controversies around the National Anthem

It is not the first time that the National Anthem has come under controversy.

Was Jana Gana Mana written to please the British monarch?

The National Anthem first courted controversy on the day it was sung by Rabindranath Tagore for the very first time on December 27, 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Congress. The Congress was then dominated by the moderates. They decided to felicitate King George V and Queen Mary, who visited Calcutta on December 30, for annulling the partition of Bengal. Tagore was requested to write a song for the session specially convened to felicitate the royal couple. While Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya's "Vande Mataram" from Anand Matth was sung on the first day of the session, Tagore sang "Jana Gana Mana" on the second day. A resolution was also passed declaring loyalty to King George.

The Anglo-Indian English media widely reported that "Jana Gana Mana" was a tribute to the king. It was only in 1939 that Tagore, Asia's first Nobel prize winner for literature, rejected the charge that he had written "Jana Gana Mana" to praise King George. "I should only insult myself if I cared to answer those who consider me capable of such unbounded stupidity," he wrote, adding that the song praised the "lord of destiny" and not the king.

Exclusion of Kashmir, Northeast in the National Anthem

Controversy has dogged "Jana Gana Mana" on other issues like inclusion or exclusion of regions. There have been petitions in courts to include regions like Kashmir and the Northeast in the national anthem. It is criticised for having left out these regions. Tagore is said to have included only British-ruled regions of India in his song.

While the Northeast was not under the British domination, Sindh in Pakistan finds mention because it was under their rule. Voices have been raised to drop Sindh as it no more is in India. For the moment, the matter has been settled by courts which have said Sindh ought to be taken not as a region but as a language and the community which speaks it lives in India.

Remove Adhinayak from the National Anthem: Kalyan Singh

In 2015,  Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh stirred a hornet's nest by questioning the word "adhinayak" in the "Jana Gana Mana Adhinayak Jai ho..." since it praises "angreji shashak" (British rulers).

Shiv Sena demanded removal of Sindh word from the anthem

In 2016, Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant also demanded that the word 'Sindh' in the national anthem be removed and replaced with an appropriate word, saying there was no state by that name in the country. Sawant said a correct word with appropriate pronunciation should replace the word 'Sindh'.