Kamal Nath backtracks on Vande Mataram, says national song will be back with police band now

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has apparently made a U-turn on singing Vande Mataram on the first day of every month at the secretariat. The Chief Minister has now said that his government will give a new form to the practice. He said that on the first working day of every month it will be sung along with police band to encourage patriotic feelings. The remarks after the BJP criticised the new Congress government for suspending the tradition that was started by former BJP Chief Minister Babulal Gaur in 2005.

#MadhyaPradesh CM Kamal Nath: At 10:45 am on first working day of every month,police band will play the tunes that encourage patriotic feelings during their march from Shaurya Samarak to Vallabh Bhawan in Bhopal.On arrival at the Bhawan, National Anthem&Vande Mataram will be sung pic.twitter.com/B516wGW3l1

— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2019

"At 10:45 am on the first working day of every month, police band will play the tunes that encourage patriotic feelings during their march from Shaurya Samarak to Vallabh Bhawan in Bhopal. On arrival at the Bhawan, National Anthem and Vande Mataram will be sung," CM Kamal Nath was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. He holds the portfolio of General Administration Department (GAD), which is responsible for organising the monthly event.

January 1, 2019, was the first day in the past 14 years when the national song was not sung. Nath had to face a slew of criticism when he announced the end of this tradition. Later, he had clarified that the practice of collectively reciting the national song will be adopted in a new way.

"The national song is in our hearts and we also sing it from time to time. However, we also believe that merely singing Vande Mataram once a month is not a certificate for one's patriotism. Love for one's country cannot be linked to singing the national song once a month," he had said.