BJP MLA wants Vande Mataram in all schools of Maharashtra

Kicking off a fresh controversy, senior BJP MLA Raj Purohit had demanded that singing of Vande Mataram be made compulsory in all schools across Maharashtra.

The six-time BJP MLA, who is the chief whip of the BJP legislature party in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, said that the way the the Madras High Court has ruled and singing of the national song has been made compulsory in schools, colleges and offices of Tamil Nadu, it should be made compulsory in Maharashtra.

The statement of Purohit comes a day after the Shiv Sena-controlled BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) made Vande Mataram singing compulsory in its schools.

Speaking to reporters at the Vidhan Bhavan complex - on the last day of the monsoon session of Maharashtra legislature, Purohit said: "Vande Mataram is the national song and it should be sung compulsorily."

He said that he had spoken to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and education minister Vinod Tawde on this issue. "I am formally making a demand again," he said.

Purohit got support from the Shiv Sena with transport minister Diwakar Raote saying that the he congratulates the BMC for passing a resolution making Vande Mataram compulsory. "The song is about nationalism," he said.

"We would say 'saarejehanseaccha'. We must not be forced to sing Vande Mataram," Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi said.

It is to be mentioned here, last month, Purohit had heated arguments with MLAs - Abu Asim Azmi of Samajwadi Party and Waris Pathan of Owaisi brothers-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen - over this issue. “Is desh me rehnahoga to Vande Mataram kahnahoga (if you want to stay in this country you would have to say Vande Mataram)…else go to Pakistan,”  Purohit had then said.

  They are traitors…they must know that Vande Mataram symbolizes nationalism and for the nation the soldiers are laying down their lives....if they are not ready to sing, they better leave and go to Pakistan,” transport minister and senior Sena leader Diwakar Raote had said.

Prior to this, Purohit had demanded that Gateway of India be renamed as 'Bharat Dwaar'. “The days of British Raj are over. Names of many railway stations have been changed. The name of the city has been changed from Bombay to Mumbai. Hence, Gateway of India should now be called Bharat Dwaar,” said Purohit.