Click to play videoNew Delhi: All educational institutions in BJP ruled states have been asked to sing Vande Mataram.
The patriotic song is now making news for political reasons. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's national song is now the subject of a full blown political controversy.
While Union Minister of Human Resource Development Arjun Singh says Vande Mataram is optional, the BJP says it is compulsory, at least in states ruled by it.
After all for the BJP Vande Mataram has always been Hindutva's theme song and on September 7 all saffron vocal chords will sing for its voters.
"Matr teen logon ke kehne per sarkar kehti hai ki isko gana zaroori nahi hai. Kya matlab hai iska (Only three people have opposed the song and the government says that it is not compulsory to sing the song. What does it mean?)," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad says.
With UP elections on the horizon singing the right tune is crucial.
If the UPA and Left can pander to minorities on Iraq and Danish cartoons, then why should the BJP be left behind in the race to sing for its electoral supper?
Never mind if some Muslims feel that asking them to sing Vande Mataram is like asking them to recite Hanuman Chalisa.
Muslims say forcing them to sing the national song is idolatry but for BJP it is desh bhakti (patriotism).
"Vande Mataram isliye nazayaz hai kyonki mein Khuda ki puja karta hoom aure Khuda ke alawaa kisi aur ki puja nahi ker sakta (Muslims cannot sing Vande Mataram as they worship only Khuda and no one else)," Muslim leader Kari Raise Ahmed says.
Even some of BJP's own allies are not in tune with the party on the issue.
"Log garibi se pareshaan hain. Hamare yuva berozgaar hain. Sabki marzi per chhod dena chahiye (There are many problems like povert and unemployment. It should not be made compulsory. Let people decided what they want)," JD (U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar says.
There may be a debate on whether Vande Mataram is really a patriotic song or not. But for the BJP it is an ideal opportunity to take care of its old and trusted vote bank -- the Hindutva vote bank.
It is a vote bank, which for the last several years has been feeling that it was being marginalised by the BJP. Now the BJP wants to show that it is standing for that very vote bank.
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