The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday issued fresh guidelines regarding the national song 'Vande Mataram', stating that everyone must stand when it is played as a mark of respect.
According to the new directive, standing during the rendition of 'Vande Mataram' is mandatory. The sequence has also been specified in cases where both 'Vande Mataram' and the national anthem are performed at the same event.
The order also clarified that if both the national song and the national anthem are performed together, 'Vande Mataram' will be sung first, followed by 'Jana Gana Mana'. The directive has triggered sharp political reactions in poll-bound West Bengal.
Also Read | Nipah virus claims 25-year-old nurse after prolonged treatment, infected colleague makes recovery
The move has quickly become a political flashpoint in Bengal, with the Trinamool Congress accusing the BJP of attempting to polarise voters ahead of elections.
New directive leads to political row
During a press conference at Trinamool Bhavan on Thursday, state Education Minister Bratya Basu said that we respect Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay and Vande Mataram, but alleged that the manner in which the BJP is presenting the issue is diminishing Jana Gana Mana and Rabindranath Tagore.
He added that Rabindranath Tagore's secular outlook and emphasis on unity across religion and caste had historically not aligned with what he described as communal forces. According to Basu, through the directive, in the name of elevating Bankim, they have actually diminished Rabindranath.
He further claimed that the timing of the order indicates an electoral calculation aimed at Bengal, asserting that the rhetoric would subside after the state elections.
'Bankimda' controversy surfaces once again
Finance Department Minister-in-charge Chandrima Bhattacharya linked the directive to a past controversy involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay as 'Bankimda'. She alleged that the new guideline is an attempt to counter criticism arising from that episode.
Also Read | AI and sensor-based farming expand, but Durgapur colleges can't offer precision agriculture programme
Responding to the allegations, BJP leader Rahul Sinha rejected the charges. He said Rabindranath Tagore has been mentioned repeatedly by Prime Minister Modi, who has also stated that he listens to Rabindra Sangeet.
Sinha accused the Trinamool Congress of indulging in divisive politics. He said instead of taking pride in both 'Jana Gana Mana' and 'Vande Mataram', the ruling party in Bengal is attempting to create differences between Rabindranath Tagore and Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay.
With elections approaching in the state of West Bengal, the issue has added another layer to the ongoing political confrontation between the Centre and the Bengal government.
