<p>The newly elected BJP government in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/west%20bengal">West Bengal </a>on Thursday directed all government and aided schools to mandate the singing of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/vande%20mataram">Vande Mataram</a> during morning assembly with immediate effect, according to an official communication issued by the School Education department.</p><p>The order states that every student must sing the national song at the start of the day, while the heads of institutions have been directed to ensure strict compliance.</p><p>"The singing of Vande Mataram during morning assembly prayers prior to the start of classes should be made mandatory so that Vande Mataram should be sung by all students in all schools in the state with immediate effect," the Director of Education specified in a communication to state-run and state-aided school heads on May 13.</p>.Cabinet nod to make insult to Vande Mataram punishable offence.<p>Further, school authorities have been asked to document the proceedings, including videos as proof of implementation, an education departement official told <em>PTI.</em></p><p>This comes only months after the Union government took steps to strengthen provisions related to respect for national symbols, including a proposed amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making obstruction to the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence.</p><p>Earlier, schools in the state traditionally sang only the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, composed by Rabindranath Tagore. </p><p>The TMC government had introduced 'Banglar Mati Banglar Jol', also penned by Tagore in 1905 during protests against the partition of Bengal, as the state song.</p><p>The national song, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, will now be added to the list, raising questions among sections of teachers about the duration and sequencing of both the national anthem and the national song within the limited assembly time.</p><p>Headmaster of Hindu School Subhrojit Dutta told <em>PTI</em>, "Once our students attend classes after summer vacation, they will sing Vande Mataram along with the National anthem Jana Gana Mana during the assembly before classes." </p><p>"Our students had already been told about the historical significance of Vande Mataram on the occasion of its 150th year, and they had been asked to recite the lines and memorise it at home before this notice was issued. So once they join school, they will sing the national song along with the national anthem," he added.</p><p>A left-run teacher representative body spokesperson said further clarity is awaited regarding whether all songs are to be sung daily and how they are to be accommodated within the existing schedule. </p>
<p>The newly elected BJP government in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/west%20bengal">West Bengal </a>on Thursday directed all government and aided schools to mandate the singing of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/vande%20mataram">Vande Mataram</a> during morning assembly with immediate effect, according to an official communication issued by the School Education department.</p><p>The order states that every student must sing the national song at the start of the day, while the heads of institutions have been directed to ensure strict compliance.</p><p>"The singing of Vande Mataram during morning assembly prayers prior to the start of classes should be made mandatory so that Vande Mataram should be sung by all students in all schools in the state with immediate effect," the Director of Education specified in a communication to state-run and state-aided school heads on May 13.</p>.Cabinet nod to make insult to Vande Mataram punishable offence.<p>Further, school authorities have been asked to document the proceedings, including videos as proof of implementation, an education departement official told <em>PTI.</em></p><p>This comes only months after the Union government took steps to strengthen provisions related to respect for national symbols, including a proposed amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making obstruction to the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence.</p><p>Earlier, schools in the state traditionally sang only the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, composed by Rabindranath Tagore. </p><p>The TMC government had introduced 'Banglar Mati Banglar Jol', also penned by Tagore in 1905 during protests against the partition of Bengal, as the state song.</p><p>The national song, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, will now be added to the list, raising questions among sections of teachers about the duration and sequencing of both the national anthem and the national song within the limited assembly time.</p><p>Headmaster of Hindu School Subhrojit Dutta told <em>PTI</em>, "Once our students attend classes after summer vacation, they will sing Vande Mataram along with the National anthem Jana Gana Mana during the assembly before classes." </p><p>"Our students had already been told about the historical significance of Vande Mataram on the occasion of its 150th year, and they had been asked to recite the lines and memorise it at home before this notice was issued. So once they join school, they will sing the national song along with the national anthem," he added.</p><p>A left-run teacher representative body spokesperson said further clarity is awaited regarding whether all songs are to be sung daily and how they are to be accommodated within the existing schedule. </p>
