Kamal Nath: Police band will play Vande Mataram on first working day

Kamal Nath. Pic/AFP

As the BJP and Congress have raised an alarm over the recital of Vande Mataram in the first week of every month, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath has said that on the first working day of every month, at 10:45 am, police band will play the tunes that encourage patriotic feelings during their march from Shaurya Samarak to Vallabh Bhawan in Bhopal. On arrival at the Bhawan, National Anthem&Vande Mataram will be sung.

On January 2, Kamal Nath also made it clear that his government would give a new touch to the song, Vande Mataram. He also added that an announcement in that regard would be made soon. Nath also slammed BJP over the issue. ANI quoted him saying, "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."

For those unversed, the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, on Tuesday announced its decision to put the tradition of reciting the national song in the secretariat on the first working day of every month on hold.

Nath told ANI on Tuesday, "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?" He added, "We believe that we are nationalist by hearts. One cannot become patriotic by reciting Vande Mataram for one day."

Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from ANI

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates