Can ‘Vande Mataram’ get equal standing with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’? HC points discover to Centre

By ANI

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued discover to the Central Government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought route to declare that the tune ‘Vande Mataram’, which performed a historic half within the wrestle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and have equal standing.

The Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta on Wednesday whereas issuing a discover to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Law and Justice and others, additionally expressed displeasure with the petitioner for going to the press (media) for publicising the matter even earlier than itemizing.

The Court has listed the matter for November 9, 2022.

The plea additionally sought route to the Centre and State Governments to make sure that ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ are performed and sung in all faculties and academic establishments on each working day and in addition to border tips within the spirit of the Constituent Assembly decision dated January 24, 1950, learn with the Judgment handed by the Madras High Court and Supreme Court of India.

The petitioner Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, practising lawyer and BJP chief said that India is a Union of States and never an affiliation or confederation of States. There is just one nationality i.e. Indian and it’s the obligation of each Indian to respect ‘Vande Mataram’. “In order to keep the country united, it is the duty of the Government to frame a National Policy to promote-propagate ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. There is no reason why it should evoke any other sentiment as the both are decided by Constitution makers.”

“The sentiments expressed in ‘Jana-Gana-Mana’ have been expressed while keeping the State in view. However, sentiments expressed in ‘Vande Mataram’ denote the nation’s character and style and deserve similar respect. Sometimes, ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung in such circumstances which are not permissible and can never be countenanced in law. It is the duty of every Indian to show respect when ‘Vande Mataram’ is played/sung,” mentioned the plea.

“‘Vande Mataram’ was the whole nation’s thought and motto when India gained independence from British rule during the independence movement. Large rallies, fermenting initially in major cities, worked themselves up into a patriotic fervour by shouting the slogan Vande Mataram’. The British, fearful of the potential danger of incited populace, at one point in time, banned the utterance of ‘Vande Mataram’ in public places and imprisoned many independence activists for disobeying the proscription,” the plea mentioned.

Rabindranath Tagore sang ‘Vande Mataram’ in 1896 on the Calcutta Congress Session. Dakshina Charan Sen sang ‘Vande Mataram’ 5 years later in 1901 in one other Congress Session at Calcutta. Sarala Devi Chaudurani sang ‘Vande Mataram’ in Benares Congress Session in 1905. Lala Lajpat Rai began a journal referred to as ‘Vande Mataram’ from Lahore, the plea said.