BJP lawmakers sing Vande Mataram before Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Shimla

Shimla, Aug 23 (AHN) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislature Party, under the leadership of Himachal Pradesh's Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jai Ram Thakur, staged a protest against the Congress at the historic Ridge here in the hill state on Sunday and collectively sang 'Vande Mataram' in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

The protest continued for nearly one-and-a-half hours and witnessed the participation of BJP legislators and hundreds of party workers.

The Ridge reverberated with Vande Mataram, patriotic songs and slogans throughout the programme.

Speaking to the media, former Chief Minister Thakur said that Vande Mataram has remained an inspiration for India's freedom struggle and is associated with the sacrifice and patriotism of countless freedom fighters.

He said revolutionaries drew inspiration from the call of 'Vande Mataram' during the freedom movement and many embraced martyrdom while fighting for India's Independence.

He added that the BJP Legislature Party had made a simple demand in the Legislative Assembly that the complete Vande Mataram should be sung in the House with due honour and respect.

The former Chief Minister said that Vande Mataram had initially figured in the proposed business of the House but was subsequently removed before the proceedings began.

Thakur said the BJP raised the matter inside the State Assembly, but instead of responding positively to the demand the state government created a situation of confrontation.

Referring to the historical position of the Congress on Vande Mataram, LoP Thakur said that in 1937 the Congress had decided to adopt only selected stanzas of the song.

He also referred to a letter dated April 6, 1938, from former PM Jawaharlal Nehru to Muhammad Ali Jinnah and claimed that the correspondence referred to objections concerning portions of Vande Mataram.

He said that in independent India the question of respect for Vande Mataram cannot be determined by the decision of any one political party.

National sentiment and the constitutional and democratic framework of the country must prevail, he added.

LoP Thakur also said that no decision of the Congress Working Committee could be placed above the country's democratic institutions.

"India is governed by its Constitution and the democratic institutions established under it, not by the directives of any political party," he added.

The Leader of Opposition also rejected allegations by Congress leaders that BJP legislators had disrespected the national anthem in the Assembly.

He said that when the national anthem was played, members of both the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP stood in respect and participated with full dignity.

It was only after the national anthem concluded that the Opposition BJP raised its demand for the singing of Vande Mataram.