BJP opposes; Shivakumar, Hariprasad hit back

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government’s decision to restrict the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ to its first two stanzas at state government programmes has triggered a political confrontation, with the BJP objecting to the order and Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and KPCC president B K Hariprasad strongly defending the government’s stand.

Reacting to the controversy on Friday Shivakumar said the Congress had made its position on ‘Vande Mataram’ clear and accused the BJP of attempting to politicise the issue. “Our party’s stand on Vande Mataram is clear. We are the ones who brought the national anthem. They are trying to do politics over the issue,” Shivakumar said.

The Chief Minister’s remarks came after the BJP criticised the government’s decision to prescribe only the first two stanzas of the song at official functions. KPCC president B K Hariprasad also launched a sharp attack on the BJP while defending the government order. He said the decision was intended to uphold national unity and pointed out that ‘Vande Mataram’ had played an important role during the freedom struggle.

“They may send us to jail or even hang us, but we will say that only the first two paragraphs of Vande Mataram should be sung,” Hariprasad said, adding that the decision had been taken in the interest of the country’s unity. He further accused the BJP and its ideological affiliates of having no moral authority to lecture the Congress on patriotism. Hariprasad made several pointed references to the BJP’s alleged historical links with the British during the freedom struggle.

“If they want a debate on this issue, let them come. We will tell them about their role and how they acted as British agents,” he said.