Vande Mataram row: ‘Must find a way to come out of narrow mindset', says Adityanath

Some councilors in Allahabad and Meerut had objected to making vande matarm compulsory in all municipality meetings.

Amid raging debate over patriotic song Vande Mataram being made compulsory in certain municipal meetings in UP, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday urged people to shun 'narrow' mindset.

He said at a time when nation is progressing in the 21 century, some are involved in arguing over national songs.

A week after a group of Muslim councillors left the Meerut Municipal Corporation House as soon as other members started singing Vande Mataram, BJP councillors at the Allahabad Nagar Nigam on Thursday demanded that a new rule be passed under which the House proceedings would start with the national song Vande Matram and end with the national anthem Jana Gana Mana.

However, some councillors objected to the proposal and it led to ruckus and disruption of the proceedings of the House.

Last week, in the Meerut Municipal Corporation, a group of Muslim corporators walked out as other members started singing Vande Mataram. However, a proposal was also put forth by mayor Harikant Ahluwalia of the BJP making it clear that any members opposing Vande Mataram will not be welcome in the House.

The Muslim members, however, said they will continue to boycott Vande Mataram "as the Sharia law does not allow them to sing it and that they will move court over the issue if necessary".

OneIndia News