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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Babulal Gaur has raked up the Vande Mataram issue again. He has issued instructions that the national song be sung in Cabinet meetings, government offices and school. Of course, the Opposition sees a hidden Hindutva motive although I do not see where exactly does the song seek to spread the Hindu love; after all it is our national song. Its simple message is to bow to the motherland. Of course, I do not approve of any mandatory measures to make everyone sing it. The Gaur dude can simply suggest singing it and express satisfaction that you did his bidding.
We regularly sang Vande Mataram at the end of each school day (the national anthem when the school day began) and I didn’t see any protesting parents. Heck, for all the separation of the Church and the State, I stood through a Christian prayer and the pledge of allegiance (to the United States) at the beginning of the Georgia Legislative Session (and it happens elsewhere too). But I think the problem lies in the manner Babulal Gaur plans to execute his order:
“Brushing aside protests from the Opposition, Gaur issued instructions that the government employees should chant ‘Vande Mataram’ on every first working day of the month…Unstoppable in his zeal to promote the song, he chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss how it should be sung in chorus in government offices…He even announced a cash reward of Rs 5001 for a music troupe because it had made a ‘‘mesmerizing’’ presentation of Vande Mataram” [source: Indian Express]
These measures might be taking things too far. “Patriotism and nationalism” that this song supposedly symbolizes cannot be imposed. Let us not invoke the “with us or against us” argument in this case.
by Patrix | on Thursday, June 16th, 2005 at 8:00 am | 
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June 16th, 2005 at 3:19 pm reply
Hi,
Forgive my ignorance..but I couldn’t quite understand the relevance of title of this post..Andde chai-garam..???
herhighness
June 16th, 2005 at 5:50 pm reply
HerHighness - The title is usually something we in school (4-5th std.) used to sing instead of Vande Mataram to the same tune. Try it…it rhymes :)
June 16th, 2005 at 7:21 pm reply
Patrix,
In college we used to sing a similiar song (I can’t divulge the lyrics lest the Gods are outraged ;-) , but it involved marathon)
About “us against them” issue, I am not so sure.
We like to believe that people participating in intellectuals debates are reasonable and they don’t have any ulterior motive.
Sadly, atleast in Indian context it is totally incorrect.
What I perceive is a left monopoly (I may be wrong) on the intellectual discussions.
All the debates are conducted on their terms and presumptions (except for a pseudo-secularism, but it was DOA)
All the teminology is coined by left and reeks of
intolerance against right (for example “Hindu rate of growth”, I can’t think of a more insulting and inaccurate reason for our stagnation during Stalinist Nehru and his daughter Indira. There are other worse than this). About “Vande Matram” I have alarmingly noted the tendency of ELM publishing op-eds and reports subtly (sometimes not so subtly)insinuating that the song was communal, frustatingly I have never seen any rebuttal of this accusation.
Considering the insidous propoganda of which Left is guilty of, I think the best way is indeed “us against them”. I realise it sounds politically incorrect, but in politics few things are.
June 16th, 2005 at 9:08 pm reply
Gaurav - I somehow can’t remember the rest of the parody.
Regards the “us vs.them”, I plan to write about it soon…esp.the Left dominance on political thought.