'Sindh, Sindhu in Anthem correct'

The Union government has said that both versions of the National Anthem, one using “Sindh” and the one with “Sindhu” are correct.

According to the affidavit filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) before the Bombay High Court, the use of word “Sindhu” and “Sindh” in the National Anthem are both correct.

The affidavit was filed in response to a Public Interest Litigation by Professor Shreekanth Malushte, seeking replacement of the word Sindh to Sindhu.

Malushte’s advocate  Niranjan Mogre said that the Indian Government had replaced Sindh with Sindhu in January 1950.

However, the MHA has claimed that Sindh was never replaced and both the words mean the same.

The affidavit filed by Pradeep Kumar Pandey, under secretary of MHA, states: “The National Anthem is sung and broadcasted as per instructions issued by the MHA through a circular in November 1953, which mentions the word ‘Sindh’. The Anthem is also given in the booklet titled Our National Song published by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) in November 1951, which mentions the word ‘Sindhu’.”

The affidavit states that the booklet issued by the I&B ministry is also correct. “The word ‘Sindh’ and ‘Sindhu’ both refer to either the river or the Sindhi community,” the affidavit states.

It is not necessary that the Anthem has to be modified every time there is a territorial change in the country, adds the affidavit.