Kasaragod(Kerala), Aug 11 (PTI) The BJP in Kerala on Tuesday contended that refusing to sing the national song Vande Mataram and linking it to any religion amounted to “sowing the poisonous seeds of partition” in the state and urged people to oppose any such attempts.
BJP National Executive Committee Member P K Krishnadas told reporters in Kasaragod that the saffron party will organise singing of the national song at all district centres in the state on August 15.
He accused the Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) of being behind such “attempts to sow the seeds of partition” in Kerala society.
He further said that the party has come to know that the UDF government was not planning on singing the Vande Mataram during the Independence Day celebrations in the state on August 15.
“Prohibiting the singing of the national song would be an unconstitutional decision of the state government. Therefore, as an alternative, we will be organising a massive collective singing of the national song at all district centres in Kerala on August 15,” the BJP leader said.
However, the CPI(M) claimed that the Congress’ actions on the matter showed that it was in favour of complete rendition of the national song.
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan, at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, said that the Lok Bhavan had denied it directed the chief secretary to issue the circular for complete rendition of the national song as claimed by state General Education MInsiter N Samsudheen.
“So, what the minister said has been proved to be a lie. It appears that the Congress which was against singing the Vande Mataram in full, is now in favour of doing so. This shows the UDF-BJP connection,” he contended.
The Marxist veteran said that the CPI(M)’s stand is that only the first two couplets of the national song are acceptable and can be sung.
“We are of the firm view that the complete version of the national song cannot be sung,” he asserted.
Regarding the disciplinary action taken against a government school teacher for describing Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar as the freedom fighter “who received the maximum punishment at the hands of the British” in quiz questionnaire, Krishnadas said he was surprised by the move.
“I do not why the Congress and IUML are opposed to Savarkar. They are taking the same stand as the British. This is also an attempt to sow the seeds of partition in the society,” he contended.
Krishnadas also accused the CPI(M)-led LDF of being “anti-national” since pre-independence times.
He alleged that the UDF and LDF were the same and anti-nationalism unites them.
He also said that the BJP will fight the UDF government’s decisions both politically and legally.
The BJP leader further claimed that the Congress and CPI(M) were showing “double standards” with regard to their stand on the student protests in Jharkhand.
“They are betraying the students there (Jharkhand),” he alleged and questioned why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was not going there. PTI HMP ROH
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