Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday, said that singing Vande Mataram would be made compulsory in all schools and educational institutions across the State. Speaking at Vande Mataram mass singing event in Gorakhpur, the CM said the move aimed to instil a sense of reverence and pride towards the nation. In a message to all those who oppose singing the song, the CM said that such attempts were part of a “conspiracy to give birth to a new Jinnah”. He also said the national song should be sung in all schools and colleges in the state.
Citing recent attempts to oppose reciting the song, especially by SP MP from Sambhal, Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanah alleged: “Yeh naye Jinnah ko paida karne ki sajish ka hissa hai. Humein yaad rakhna hoga ab Bharat ke andar phir se koi Jinnah paida ho na paye. Agar paida hone ka sahas karta hai to isase pehle ki woh Bharat ki akhandata ko chunauti de, usase pehle hi dafan kar ke dena hoga. (This is part of a conspiracy to create a new Jinnah. The country cannot allow a second Jinnah to take birth. If attempts are made to revive Jinnah, then such attempts should be buried.”
“A Samajwadi Party MP again protested against the national song. These are the same people who skip the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the architect of India’s integrity, but shamelessly attend events honouring Jinnah,” the CM added.
The announcement came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram to mark 150 years of the national song at an event in Delhi. The event marked the beginning of the nationwide celebration, running from November 7, 2024, to November 7, 2026, to commemorate 150 years of the iconic song that inspired India’s freedom struggle and remains a symbol of national pride and unity.
Vande Matram was composed by legendary poet Bankim Chandra Chatterjee on the occasion of Akshaya Navami, November 7, 1875. The song first appeared in the literary journal Bangadarshan, as part of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Anandamath.
