Centenary celebration of Vande Mataram a low key affair in Bengal

Kolkata, Sept 07 (UNI) Barring the singing of the National Song by a handful of BJP workers and a few lawyers in the city's lower courts, the centenary celebration of Vande Mataram remained by and large a low key affair in West Bengal.

As there was no government notification in West Bengal making it mandatory for students in educational institutions to sing some stanzas of the national song written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, very few schools responded positively.

However, in some schools, particulaerly in rural Bengal, the students began their classes by singing the song amid huge enthusiasm. Some advocates in the city sessions court here also began their day's briefing by singing the song, while most others barely looked on.

But most regrettably none at Bankim Bhavan, the ancestral house and the birthplace of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay at Naihati in North 24 Parganas district sang the national song or made any arrangement to celebrate the centenary of Vande Mataram in a befitting manner.

West Bengal state BJP, however, celebrated the day by organising the singing of Vande Mataram at various places all across the state with due respect.

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