SGPC chief for 'Deh Shiva var mohe', not 'Vande Mataram'

Amritsar, Sep 5 (UNI) Rejecting 'Vande Mataram' as a song of a particular community only, Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh today urged all Sikh educational institutions to sing 'Deh Shiva var mohe' on September seven.

Categorically criticising those who demanded the singing of Vande Mataram on September seven, the SGPC chief said such a demand had came from the communal forces which wanted a political mileage out of it.

''This is a political and communal move of the politicians and should be discouraged to maintain harmony in the country,'' he told reporters here.

''Vande Mataram belongs to one particular community and, thus, the people should not be forced to sing this song,'' Mr Avtar Singh said.

Mr Avtar Singh said the Sikh educational institutions would organise the singing of ''Deh Shiva var mohe'' instead of Vande Mataram on September seven as this song represented humanity and was secular in nature, cutting across religious lines.

UNI XC PS LS PC1905