Bhopal: Mass recital of National song Vande Matram was held at a grand level amid patriotic fervor at Mantralaya on Friday. MP Chief Minister Kamal Nath led the procession from Shourya Smarak war memorial to Mantralaya where people sang Vande Mataram in the secretariat’s park. A police band played patriotic songs at the venue- Mantralaya.
GAD Minister Govind Singh, Law and legal affairs minister PC Sharma, Sports and Youth welfare minister Jitu Patwari joined the recital. Besides, national anthem Jan Gan Man… was also recited. Chief secretary SR Mohanty, ACS GAD Vinod Semwal, ACS forest KK Singh, ACS Energy ICP Kesari and large number of officials of Vallabh Bhavan, Vindhyachal and Satpura attended the function.
BJP needs not preach us patriotism: Nath
Hitting out at the BJP, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, “BJP needs not to preach us patriotism. Patriotism runs in our blood. We don’t need anyone’s certificate on it.” We have begun the recitation of Vande Mataram in a new form. None of the saffron family members came to join us in recital.
BJP, saffron brigade skip the event
None of BJP or any member of the saffron brigade joined the recital. Its discontinuation on January 1 had led to a war of words between the opposition BJP and the ruling Congress. For the past 13 years, government officials would sing Vande Mataram on the first day of every month before starting the day’s work.
The practice was started by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government. Though the attendance at the show became miniscule over the years- ex CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had taunted the state government saying he could lead them in rendering the song in case Congress leaders did not know the lyrics.
