Himachal Assembly witnesses uproar over Vande Mataram

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BJP’s demand to sing Vande Mataram triggers protests, with Congress and Opposition trading allegations of disrespecting national symbols.

Shimla , August 21

The first day of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s Monsoon Session witnessed a major uproar over the singing of the national song Vande Mataram, with the proceedings adjourned within 10 minutes until 11 am on Saturday.

The session began with the national anthem, following which BJP legislators demanded that Vande Mataram also be sung in the House. Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said the national song would be sung at the conclusion of the session as per established rules.

The Opposition rejected the Speaker’s decision and raised slogans inside the House, prompting Pathania to adjourn the proceedings amid the disruption.

The confrontation continued outside the Assembly, with the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP accusing each other of disrespecting the national anthem and national song.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accused the BJP of disrespecting the national anthem and said the Congress respects both the national anthem and national song. He said the anthem is traditionally sung at the beginning of the session, while the national song is sung at its conclusion.

Sukhu alleged that the BJP was raising the issue for political gain and was not respecting the Assembly’s traditions. He said neither the government nor the Speaker had refused to have Vande Mataram sung.

He also alleged that the BJP appeared divided in the House and claimed that, in the absence of Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, BJP legislators created unnecessary disruption.

BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar, meanwhile, accused the Congress of disrespecting the national song. He said the BJP had only requested that Vande Mataram be sung in the House, but the request was not accepted.

Parmar alleged that the Congress was politicizing the issue and referred to a Congress Working Committee decision to sing two stanzas of Vande Mataram. He claimed that such a decision was against the law passed by Parliament and amounted to disrespecting freedom fighters.

Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania clarified that the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, like the Lok Sabha and several other legislatures, follows the practice of beginning sessions with the national anthem and concluding them with the national song.

He said the Opposition started the disruption immediately after the proceedings began, forcing the House to be adjourned. Pathania maintained that the Assembly would function according to its rules and not under pressure from the Opposition.