Singing of Vande Mataram should not become an issue: Minister

Days after a controversy erupted in Bihar's Gopalganj district over compulsory singing of Vande Mataram in a school, Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha today said that singing of the national song should not be made an issue.
"One should not be compelled to sing Vande Mataram....If one does not want to sing the national song, it should not become an issue," Minister of State for Human Resources Development told PTI on phone from Jharkhand.
"The choice should be left to the people whether they want to sing the national song or not," he said.
A controversy had arisen recently when students of an upgraded high school at Doldolia village in Gopalganj district belonging to a minority community opposed the decision of the school authorities to compulsorily sing the national song during prayers.

Some members of the management committee of the school supported the stand taken by the students, after which the school authorities relented.
Subsequently, BJP MP Janak Ram, who represents the Gopalganj (SC) Lok Sabha seat, and Ram Pravesh Rai, JD(U) MLA from Garkha Assembly seat in the district, met the school authorities and prevailed upon them to make singing of the national song compulsory.

Later, a meeting of the local civil and education department officials was held, where it was decided against making singing of Vande Mataram compulsory.
Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Reyaz Ahmed then told the school authorities not to make it compulsory.

The local Bajranj Dal and ABVP leaders had expressed unhappiness with their MP's failure to prevail upon the school management to make singing of Vande Mataram compulsory and burnt his effigies.