With the BJP and Congress raising an alarm over the recital of 'Vande Mataram' in the first week of every month, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday made it clear that his government would give a new touch to the national song. He said that announcement in this regard would be announced soon.
Slamming the BJP over the issue, Nath told reporters: "I feel that it is wrong to do politics on Vande Mataram. They are doing politics on 'Vande Mataram' and Ram temple. I condemn this. We will give a new look to 'Vande Mataram' and will announce today or tomorrow."
It all started on Tuesday when the Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh announced its decision to put on hold the previous BJP government's tradition to recite the national song in the secretariat on the first working day of every month.
"We have no intentions of breaking or protesting against the national song. The order to recite Vande Mataram in the Secretariat on the first day of the month has been put on hold. A decision has been taken to implement the order in a new form. Those who do not recite Vande Mataram are not patriots?" Nath said on Tuesday.
"We believe that we are nationalist by hearts. One cannot become patriotic by reciting Vande Mataram for one day," he added.
Expressing discontent over the decision, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan demanded the reinstatement of the practice, while adding that 109 BJP MLAs will recite the national song at the Secretariat and then take oath on January 7.
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