Days after the BJP came to power in Uttar pradesh, the civic body of Meerut has been divided on communal lines after the city mayor Harikant Ahluwalia has declared that every Nagar Nigam board member will have to sing the national song 'Vande Mataram'.
Ahluwalia said that the members who don't sing the national song will not be allowed to enter the board meeting room or participate in its proceedings, reported The Times of India.
Subsequently, after the announcement some Muslim members opposed to the new rule imposed by the mayor.
The recital of the song has been happening since a long time and members had the freedom of leaving the hall and return after it was over. But this time when some Muslim counsellors started leaving the room, BJP members began shouting, "Hindustan mein rehna hai to Vande Mataram kehna hoga (If you want to live in India, you have to sing Vande Mataram)." the report adds.
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Following some heated exchanges, Ahluwalia passed a resolution by voice vote to make the singing mandatory for all members. However, the resolution requires government's nod to be implemented.
Last year, during the winter session, the Rajya Sabha had informed that the government has not framed any rules for circumstances in which the 'National Song' may be sung.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju had said this in response to a question by Vikas Mahatme seeking to know "whether there are rules in place to ensure that National Song is performed uniformly in one voice, one beat and rythm, since our National Song enhances our feeling of patriotism and it is mandatory to have rules for National Song..."
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He had also asked whether these rules are to be taken seriously as in theatres, it has been often observed that National Song is sung in different tunes and different ways and music is composed in different styles, although there is no objection in showing soldiers or other things in background but people singing this song commit physical movement.
