Uttarakhand Congress says won`t sing Vande Mataram `come what may`

Dehradun: The ruling BJP and the main opposition party Congress are on a collision course in Uttarakhand after the later said that the national song 'Vande Matram' will not be sung at the party's official programmes for one month "come what may".

According to News18.com report, the announcement was made by the state unit of Congress in response to Uttarakhand Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat's warning that those who want to live in Uttarakhand will have to sing 'Vande Mataram'.

Rawat had also announced that singing of the national song was being made compulsory in schools across the state.

Uttarkhand State Congress president Kishore Upadhyay said, "They cannot impose things like that on people. I announce that we will not sing Vande Mataram at our programmes for one month come what may."

Reacting to the Congress leader's assertion, state BJP chief Ajay Bhatt said by opposing an age old tradition of concluding every official programme with the singing of the national song, the Congress had only "reflected its decadent culture".

(With PTI inputs)