New Delhi, May 18 (PTI) The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday hailed the West Bengal government's decision to make the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ mandatory in morning assemblies in state-run and aided schools, saying the move has “freed” the national song in its birthplace after decades.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said the song, which played a role in India’s freedom struggle, had remained “in bondage” in Bengal for the last 75 years.
“The ‘Vande Mataram’ that helped free the country from the chains of slavery has itself remained in bondage in its birthplace for the last 75 years. Due to pressure from a particular community, it could not attain freedom,” Bansal said in a video statement.
He said it is the country’s “good fortune” that a new government has taken the step in Bengal, where the song was composed.
“In Bengal -- the land where ‘Vande Mataram’ was composed -- it has now been freed. Many congratulations and best wishes,” he said.
Bansal said every student in Bengal will now necessarily begin the school day by singing ‘Vande Mataram’.
“Every student in Bengal will necessarily begin the day in school by singing ‘Vande Mataram’ and move forward in their academic journey. Congratulations and best wishes to the new chief minister of Bengal and to the entire country for this,” he added.
Last week, the new BJP government in West Bengal made the singing of 'Vande Mataram' mandatory in morning assemblies across all state-run and state-aided schools with immediate effect.
The directive, issued by the school education department, mandates that every student participate in singing the national song before the commencement of classes, with school heads instructed to ensure strict implementation.
The order comes against the backdrop of an increasingly assertive emphasis on national symbols in public discourse and follows recent moves by the Centre to strengthen legal provisions concerning respect for national emblem and song.
Announcing the decision, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had said, "From next Monday, 'Vande Mataram' will be introduced as the prayer song in all schools across the state. I will go to Nabanna today and inform them."