Singing Vande Mataram voluntary, not compulsory: Arjun Singh

Varanasi, Aug 20 (UNI) Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh today said singing of Vande Mataram on its centenary on September seven next was voluntary and not compulsory.

Interacting with newspersons here, Mr Singh said that centenary of Vande Mataram will be celebrated on September seven across the country.

''The government has appealed one and all in the country to sing the national song on the occasion. But this does not mean that the government is compelling everyone to sing the national song. Singing Vande Mataram on September 7 is voluntary, not compulsory,'' Mr Singh maintained.

A committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been constituted for the grand commemoration of not only the centenary of Vande Mataram, but also the 1857 First War for Country's Freedom and the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, he added.

Earlier, addressing a programme at the Jamia Salfia madarsa, Mr Singh hit out against those linking anti-national forces with madarsas.

''During the NDA regime, the then Home minister L K Advani, on the floor of Parliament, termed madarsas as training centres of terrorists, but failed to substantiate his allegations. He even promised a white paper on the issue, which is still to come out,'' Mr Singh said.

Pointing incriminating fingers on madarsas was a part of political propoganda of communal forces, he said.

The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister also lauded Varanasi for giving an exceptional answer to terrorists by staying united after the March 7 last twin blasts.

''Remaining united during such incidents is a challenge which the holy city has won,'' he noted.

UNI ARS NAB VD KN1822