Amid the row over ‘Vande Mataram’, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday hit out at those refusing to sing the national song saying it reflected their “narrow mindedness”.
“Some people are saying that we will not sing Vande Matram… we want this country to move ahead in the 21st century and the matter of dispute is that we will sing Vande Matram or not…this is a matter of concern,” he said.
“We will have to find a way out to overcome this narrow mindedness,” Adityanath said.
The chief minister was speaking at a book release function at the Raj Bhawan in Lucknow.
His remarks came against the backdrop of Samajwadi Party corporators protesting a proposal to make singing of the national song compulsory at commencement of proceedings of a meeting of Allahabad municipal corporation.
The recent incident came days after municipal corporations in Meerut and Varanasi too witnessed similar ruckus over the issue.
Recalling the 150th anniversary functions of the Allahabad High Court, the chief minister said it had commenced with the rendition of ‘Vande Matram’.
“It was such a good sight… it was a grand function, a historical one. The Prime Minister of the country was present at the concluding function. The Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the state were also present. The function itself started with the national song,” the chief minister said.