Varanasi: The Varanasi mayor has issued orders making it mandatory for every municipal corporation member to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jana Gana Mana’ after a BJP corporator’s proposal for singing the songs triggered protests by Congress and SP members.
The heated discussion was kicked off on Saturday last when BJP corporator Ajay Gupta put forth a proposal that the National Song should be sung before house proceedings.
Taking strong view of the protest, mayor Ram Gopal Mohale said in a statement on Monday that action would be taken against the SP and Congress members for allegedly insulting the National Song and raising derogatory slogans.
Samajwadi Party corporator Ravi Kant Vishw-akarma said that, “We were all prepared to hold a discussion on the Budget 2017-18 on Saturday, but surprisingly BJP corporator Ajay Gupta intervened saying National Song should be sung before beginning House proceedings, to which Muslim and Hindu corporators of the SP and the Congress strongly protested.
“We fully respect our National Song but they (BJP) cannot force us to sing. The Muslim corporators of our party (SP) and Congress were strongly against this move, and if we do not wish to sing they cannot deliberately impose it upon us,” Vishwakarma told reporters here.
