Cong hints at probe into Vande Mataram controversy

New Delhi, Sep 13 (UNI) The Congress today indicated that it would try to find out what went wrong in proclaiming September 7 as the centenary day of the national song Vande Mataram.

"The party would collect information about where things went wrong in determining the date of Vande Mataram centenary,"Congress Spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi said when asked by reporters as to whether the party would fix the responsibility for the faux pas.

"Only an inquiry would reveal who was responsible for the lapse,"he said replying to a question as to whether HRD Minister Arjun Singh was answerable for the wrong centenary date of the national song as he had sent circulars to this effect to all the states to observe September 7 as the centenary day.

Mr Chaturvedi hastened to clarify that he had not named Mr Arjun Singh as the one responsible for the error when newsmen pestered him with the query.

The Vande Mataram centenary sparked off a controversy when the BJP made an issue out of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's absence from the Congress Seva Dal function organised to sing Vande Mataram.

The Congress spokespersons later came out with varying clarifications to explain her absence including that September 7 was not the authentic date historically of the Vande Mataram centenary.

UNI YS RP VA VV1846