New Delhi, July 17: The BJP on Friday criticised the Congress for allegedly opposing the Centre’s move to table a Bill that provides for punishment for insulting or obstructing the mandatory singing of Vande Mataram at official events, in the upcoming Parliament session. The saffron party said the Congress has historically shown disrespect towards the national song.
The government has listed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill — which seeks to give the national song Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the national anthem Jana Gana Mana — for introduction in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session beginning July 20.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that instead of welcoming the move and celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram, the Congress has a problem with it.
“Congress and its ecosystem hate Vande Mataram. The government is bringing the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act in order to give Vande Mataram, as the national song, the same respect given to the national flag and the national anthem. But instead of welcoming this, instead of celebrating the 150 years of Vande Mataram, Congress has a problem with it,” he said in a video statement.
Poonawalla alleged that the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, divided the national song into two parts under pressure from the Muslim League, and that several Congress leaders refused to sing even the first two stanzas. (PTI)
