Kicking off a fresh controversy over “Vande Mataram”, BJP Maharashtra lawmaker Raj Purohit on Thursday announced that he will ask the state government to introduce a policy making the national song’s singing compulsory. “I will urge chief minister Devendra Fadnavis that Maharashtra should adopt a policy on the lines of the Madras High Court judgement making singing of Vande Mataram compulsory,” Purohit told media persons here. Immediately reacting, state Samajwadi Party President and MLA Abu Asim Azmi said that though he had great respect for Vande Mataram, he would not sing it under any circumstances, come what may. Joining him, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislator Waris Pathan declared he would not comply to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ even at gun-point or if a knife was put to his throat. They should be aware that Vande Mataram symbolises nationalism and our soldiers are laying down their lives for the country.

Source: Hindustan Times July 27, 2017 15:22 UTC