BJP seeks action against school over National Anthem

New Delhi, Aug 7: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday demanded action against the management of a private school in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly refusing to allow recital of national anthem on the occasion of Independence Day.

The party also accused the Samajwadi Party of pursuing vote bank politics and encouraging anti-national elements in Uttar Pradesh.

"For the last 12 years, the national anthem and national song of the country has not been recited in this school (in Allahabad)," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma told reporters here.

"This unpardonable practice is going on in the state for the last one decade but the pair of SP-BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) are indulging in vote bank politics," Sharma alleged.

Sharma also dared Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to break his silence and reveal the name of the muscleman leader on whose indication the government is not acting against the management of the school and giving protection to the anti-national elements.

"Under which circumstances the Akhilesh government is not acting against the management of the school," the BJP leader asked.

Taking a dig at Akhilesha Yadav for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Sharma said: "The SP government is not giving protection only to the rapists and the criminals but also to the anti-national elements who insult the nation."

"The Akhilesh Yadav government has taken politics to a new low," Sharma added.

Sharma also said that this is part of a conspiracy as the Chief Minister has failed to deliver on development and law and order front. "There is a design to communalise the state," he added.

He also demanded action against the "state minister", who has allegedly supported the school's management.

Attacking the school for not allowing the recital of the national anthem, Sharma said, "The country and its Constitution come before anything."

IANS