Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday strongly said that the 109 MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will recite 'Vande Mataram' at the Secretariat and then take oath on January 7.
His response came a day after the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state decided to stop the previous BJP government's tradition of reciting 'Vande Mataram' on the first working day of every month.
Chouhan told ANI: "All of our 109 MLAs will recite 'Vande Mataram' at the Madhya Pradesh Secretariat in Bhopal on January 7. After that, our MLAs will take oath."
While defending the move to put on hold the recital of 'Vande Mataram', Nath said on Tuesday: "We have no intentions of breaking or protesting against the national song. The order to recite Vande Mataram in the Secretariat on the first day of the month has been put on hold. A decision has been taken to implement the order in a new form. Those who do not recite Vande Mataram are not patriots?"
"We believe that we are nationalists by hearts. One cannot become patriotic by reciting Vande Mataram for one day," he added.
The Madhya Pradesh assembly session is slated to begin on January 7, with the oath-taking by the newly-elected MLAs.
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