Will give a new form to Vande Mataram and announce soon: Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath

Amid the heated debate between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) after the national song, 'Vande Mataram', was not sung at Madhya Pradesh secretariat, Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday clarified that he will give a new form to the song. He also added that he will announce the new version of the song soon.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, "Vande Mataram ko main ek naya roop dunga aur aaj-kal mein ghoshit karunga. (I'll give modify the Vande Mataram song and will announce it within a day or two.)"

Singing of the national song in the Mantralaya or secretariat on the first working day of every month has been the norm since the time of erstwhile Shivraj Singh Chouhan government of the BJP.

However, the newly formed Congress government led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath chose to not sing the national song on the first day of January. This triggered a massive debate between the two parties, with BJP workers holding a protest outside the Secretariat against the Chief Minister.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that all 109 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs will recite the song at the Secretariat on January 7, 2019, Monday.

Taking to Twitter Chouhan mentioned that the national song will be sung before the Assembly session starts on January 7, in the courtyard of Vallabh Bhavan at 10 am. "I @ BJP4MP all legislators will sing Vande Mataram on the first day of January 7, 2019, Assembly session in the courtyard of 10:00 pm Vallabh Bhavan. All of you are welcome to join this campaign," he tweeted.

Earlier reacting on the incident, CM Nath said that the order "has been put on hold". He asked if those who don't recite the Vande Mataram are not patriots.

"The order to recite Vande Mataram in the Secretariat on the first day of the month has been put on hold. A decision has been taken to implement the order in a new form. Those who do not recite Vande Mataram are not patriots?" said the CM.