Mayor ‘gets it Right’ as groups hail

Members of several right wing groups joined chorus with mayor Ashok Lahoti at the recital of Vande Matram at Jaipur Municipal Corporation on Wednesday evening. Holding the Tricolour and raising slogans these had arrived at the municipal corporation headquarters to commemorate the saffron party mayor for his recent ‘nationalistic’ dictate.

It is on orders of mayor Ashok Lahoti, that from Tuesday work at JMC offices commences with recital of National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana and concludes with singing National Song, Vande Matram. His order has arrived as a delight for the right wing groups and they registered their support in person by joining in tunes at JMC on Wednesday evening.

However, as they decked him with garlands and flowers, mayor Ashok Lahoti said it was not an objective of his decision. “No, I am not looking for political mileage on the issue, it was just meant to promote nationalistic sentiment,” Lahoti told DNA surrounded amid the supporters greeting him over the decision.

“I have stepped out of the JMC building to accept their greetings as I do not wish their celebrations to create a political fuss at the corporation,” he added. The issue though has already attracted a lot of political attention, much also due to his ‘go to Pakistan’ jibe for those reluctant to recite “Vande Matram”. “I have been misquoted by those seeking to build controversy out of nothing, it was meant to answer a specific question and was not to target any specific group or community,” Lahoti clarifies.