Advani says no compromise on Vande Mataram

NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader L K Advani on Friday said there should be no compromise on the singing of Vande Mataram, an issue on which some party leaders have expressed reservations over making it compulsory in madarsas.

At the release of a book by party colleague Ram Naik here, he endorsed the idea of singing it, saying it involved respect for a national symbol.

"There should be no compromising attitude on the national song," Advani said referring to the current controversy over its singing.

His comments came six days after party chief Rajnath Singh's announcement that the BJP would order compulsory singing of the national song in schools, if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh.

Singh's comments have triggered divergent reactions from within his party, with a section of it regarding the idea as impractical.

"Showing respect to national symbols cannot be made optional," Advani said.

The former BJP chief, who recalled that the national song was adopted by the Congress in 1907, insisted that the singing of the national song could afford no compromise in the light of cultural diversities and fissiparous tendencies in the country.

He recalled that the BJP had in 1992 successfully resisted opposition from MPs belonging to a particular community to a party move approved by a Parliamentary panel to begin sessions with singing of the national song.