Arjun Singh made scape goat on Vande Mataram issue, Naidu

Ranchi, Sep 12: The BJP today reiterated that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi did not ''deliberately'' take part in the centenary celebration of Vande Mataram only to 'appease' the fundamentalist groups.

Party's national vice-president Venkaiah Naidu addressing a press conference here reacted to the Congress spokesperson saying that September seven had nothing to do with the national song.

Mr Naidu said since September seven, 2005 to September seven, 2006 when preparations for the cenetary celebration was on, the UPA government never came up with such a statement, but as Ms Gandhi and Mr Singh did not take part in the programme on September seven, the Congress spokesperson said the date had nothing to do with the national song.

He said it meant that both the top leaders of the UPA decided to abstain from the function just to 'appease the fundamentalist groups' keeping in mind the vote bank.

And the whole blame had fallen on Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh, Mr Naidu said.

Muslims did not object to reciting the song, but the fundamentalists refused to do so, he alleged.

He said the Centre should come up with actual date of the composition of the song adding they kept the country in dark till September seven.

He said the BJP at its Dehradoon conclave had decided to launch awareness programme on the song in three phases from September 25 to January 26.

UNI