Strains of Vande Mataram move Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babulal Gaur. For, stirred by the song, the former sangh pracharak has quickly moved to make it compulsory in Cabinet meetings, government offices and schools. Unmoved, the Opposition sees a hidden Hindutva agenda behind all this. At a recent cabinet meeting, Gaur cleared the decision to make rendering of the song compulsory before the meeting commenced. Brushing aside protests from the Opposition, Gaur issued instructions that the government employees should chant ‘Vande Mataram’ on every first working day of the month. Unstoppable in his zeal to promote the song, he chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss how it should be sung in chorus in government offices. The general administration department was asked to issue instructions in this regard, stressing that it should be sung with honour and dignity since it constitutionally held the status of a national song. When schools open in July, the students will have to sing the song daily. That’s how Gaur plans to catch them young. At a programme organised by Gehlot Mewada Rajput Samaj a few days back, he even announced a cash reward of Rs 5001 for a music troupe because it had made a ‘‘mesmerizing’’ presentation of Vande Mataram. The Opposition Congress is not humming the tune. Leader of the Opposition Jamuna Devi alleged the state government was only trying to push forward its Hindutva agenda. ‘‘At a time when Gaur needs to focus on important issues, like financial discipline, Vande Mataram before a cabinet meeting will not do any good,” she said. There is some discord in the Congress camp too. Devi has also criticised former chief minister Digvijay Singh who reportedly approved of the singing of the song in government offices. She has even dashed off a letter to Singh. Gaur remains unfazed. ‘‘There is nothing wrong in introducing it in government offices. It’s a national song and everybody should respect it. There is no hidden agenda,’’ he said. The Sangh is, of course, backing the CM on the issue. Kshetra Pracharak of the RSS Vinod Kumar: ‘‘The song symbolizes patriotism and national pride.’’
