Singing of Vande Mataram not compulsory, says Arjun Singh

New Delhi, Aug 21 (UNI) Union Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh today said no government directive for mandatory recital of Vande Mataram has been issued.

It had been decided to celebrate the 100 years of this song on September seven by singing it in schools and colleges, but it has not been made compulsory, he said replying to a question at a two-day conference of Muslim Ulema on Terrorism that concluded here this evening.

The singing of the song in schools was thought a befitting celebration of its centenary, however, there was no compulsion involved, he sought to clarify.

The Uttar Pradesh government had on August 18 said in an official release that the Centre had sought the help of the state government in ensuring recital of the song in the concluding function of its centenary on September seven.

Union Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh had written a letter to Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in this connection, the release had said.

Replying to other questions of the Ulema in the conference, the Human Resource Minister said action against any innocent person in the name of investigating terrorism was unconstitutional.

He warned the society of the dangerous trend of suspecting people just on the basis of rumours.

Without naming the previous BJP-led NDA government, he said those who were blaming the Madrasas as the laboratry of terrorism had failed to furnish evidence.

This country is for all irrespective of their caste, creed and religion, and one should make the country's prestige as one's prestige too, he added.

When a questioner asked if the reports that a special office of the RAW had been set up in Lucknow to keep an eye on the activities of the Madrasas, Mr Singh first said, he was not in a position to comment on the activities of the agency as it worked secretly. He however, said that he had spoken to Home Minister Shivraj Patil in this connection, and he told him that RAW did not work under the Home Ministry.

However, Mr Singh added, if the veracity of the report is established, the administration should take action.

UNI NAZ Mir BD2215