After Meerut, Allahabad Nagar Nigam faces Vande Mataram row

A week after the mayor of Meerut asked all corporators to either sing Vande Mataram or leave the country, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Councillors at the Allahabad Nagar Nigam on Thursday demanded a new rule, under which the house proceedings would start with the national song Vande Matram and end with the national anthem Jana Gana Mana.

Some Councillors objected to the proposal that led to ruckus and disruption in the House.

Councillors in the opposition alleged that BJP Councillors are raising this demand because of the saffron party coming to power.

Earlier in the month, a similar row had broken out, wherein a group of Muslim Councilors had left the Meerut Municipal Corporation House as soon as other members started singing Vande Mataram.

A proposal was also put forth by Meerut Mayor Harikant Ahluwalia of the BJP, making it clear that any member opposing Vande Mataram will not be welcomed in the House. He asked all corporators to either sing Vande Mataram or leave the country.