The West Bengal government has issued a directive making it compulsory to sing 'Vande Mataram' during assembly prayers prior to classes in all madrasas across the state. The order, issued on May 19, by the Directorate of Madrasa Education will come into effect immediately.
The directive applies to all government-aided English medium madrasas; recognised government-aided madrasas; approved minority secondary schools; approved senior secondary Koranic schools; recognised unaided madrasas; and other institutions under the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department across West Bengal.
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'Vande Mataram' Gets Same Legal Status As National Anthem
This move came after the Union Cabinet on May 5 approved an amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making any insult or obstruction to the singing of the national song 'Vande Mataram' a punishable offence carrying up to three years of imprisonment, a fine, or both. This amendment places 'Vande Mataram' on the same legal footing as the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana', which has long been protected under the same Act.
The official notification stated, “The singing of Vande Mataram during morning assembly prayers prior to the start of classes should be made mandatory so that Vande Mataram is sung by all students in all schools in the state with immediate effect."
The previous state administration had mandated 'Banglar mati Banglar jal' to be sung at morning assemblies in government schools. Several school heads said the new directive did not specify whether the state anthem would be sung in conjunction with 'Vande Mataram' and the National Anthem, a report in the The Times of India stated.
“We cannot drop the national anthem, as it is a must. Now our first song will be Vande Mataram, and adding the state song will take more time, which will delay classes. Though the notice did not mention anything about the state song, retaining students for three songs is not an easy task,” the report quoted a school head saying.
An official from the education department indicated the recent directive solely mentioned 'Vande Mataram'. “We have been asked to introduce 'Vande' Mataram as school prayer, but there is no mention of the state song,” the official told TOI.
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