MP: Kamal Nath does away with Vande Mataram at Secretariat; BJP asks Congress to restore tradition

Bhopal, Jan 2: The year 2019 started on a controversial note for the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken umbrage to the Congress-led government's decision put the order to sing Vande Mataram on the first day of the month in the Secretariat on hold.

For past 13 years, there has been a practice where government officials would sing Vande Mataram on the first day of every month before starting the day's work. The practice was started by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJP, which is now in the Opposition, criticised the change in rule. Chouhan said his BJP government had decided to bring in the tradition as the song is a mantra that "instils sense of patriotism", reported ANI.

Chouhan said, "It is unfortunate that the new Congress government has ended this tradition. I demand that it should be reintroduced."

He said if the government fails to restore the practice, he would sing Vande Mataram "with patriots" at the Vallabh Bhavan (Secretariat).

"I have decided that I will sing Vande Matram inside the [Secretariat] premises at 11 am on January 6," he told news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kamal Nath has rubbished the allegations levelled by the BJP. He said the state government has not decided to end the practice of singing Vande Mataram. "The order is on hold and will be reintroduced in a new form," he said.