Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SP)
New Delhi, Mar 31: Congress party said on Friday March 31 that people refusing to sing 'Vande Mataram' cannot be held guilty till its singing is made mandatory by law.
Speaking on this issue, veteran Congress leader, Oscar Fernandes, said that the issue of singing this song has a hitch. "Vande Mataram is our national song. Just because someone refuses to sing this song cannot be enough to hold him guilty. Till a law making it compulsory for the citizens to sing the national song is passed, those not singing it cannot be treated as guilty," he asserted.
Another Congress leader, P L Punia, who has come in support of Fernandes on this issue, has also opined that forcing people to sing the national song is not right.
"I do not wish to analyze any of the religions. But I believe that there are no differences between the slogans, 'Hindustan Zindabad' and 'Vande Mataram'. Both the slogans pertain to the nation and forcing a person to sing 'Vande Mataram' in my opinion, is wrong," he stated.
After some councillors of Meerut municipal council refused to sing 'Vande Mataram', they were barred from participating in the council meetings on Thursday March 30.