'If Congress is Ashamed, It Can Let Me Know': Shivraj's Dig After MP Govt Skips Vande Mataram 'Tradition'

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a stinging attack against the new Congress government after it decided to put on hold the tradition of singing Vande Mataram in the secretariat on the first working day of every month.

Taking to Twitter, Chouhan said if the Congress did not know the lyrics or was ashamed to sing the national song, it could let him know. He said, “The Congress has forgotten that governments come and go but there is nothing above love for the country and patriotism." He said like before, Vande Mataram must be sung before every cabinet meeting on the first of every month. The former chief minister told news agency ANI that he will sing Vande Matram in the Secretariat on Sunday.

The issue has turned into a political slugfest, with state unit BJP spokesman Rajneesh Agrawal tweeting that the rendition of Vande Mataram is organised by the state general administration department (GAD), a portfolio held by Chief Minister Kamal Nath. "Has it been on his direction? He (Nath) has recently said that he does not care for criticism. Is there going to be a ban on 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' chant (sic)," he tweeted.

When contacted, state Congress spokesman Bhupendra Gupta sought to play down the incident, saying the CM is out of station. He said the rendition could not take place as SR Mohanty took charge as Chief Secretary on Tuesday, implying that officials remained busy. "Why is the BJP creating fuss over it? If it (Vande Matram) was not sung today, its rendition will take place tomorrow or later. Nothing much should be read into this," the Congress leader said.