Bengaluru : A political controversy unfolded in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly as BJP members protested the playing of a shortened version of Vande Mataram, leading to them reciting the full national song.
BJP legislators recited the full Vande Mataram in Karnataka's Legislative Assembly and Council proceedings.
The protest occurred after the official recording of Vande Mataram ended after only two stanzas.
The Congress government in Karnataka has a policy to play only the first two stanzas at most state programmes.
BJP members shouted slogans against the government for not playing the complete national song.
The incident took place during a special legislative session convened to discuss drought and the Dr Kasturirangan report.
The Bharatiya Janata Party legislators recited the full version of Vande Mataram at the beginning of the Legislative Assembly and Council proceedings on Monday, when the recording that was officially played in the House ended after two stanzas.
Political Stir Over Vande Mataram Length
The Karnataka government convened a three-day special legislative session to discuss severe drought prevailing in the state as well as the implications of Dr Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats.
The session at the Legislative Assembly started with Vande Mataram but it ended after rendering two paragraphs.
Soon after that, Speaker G S Patil allowed condolences to the prominent people.
Subsequently, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar started paying tribute to former MLA R B Shiriyannavar who died on August 27.
Agitated over the issue, the BJP MLAs raised slogans and started reciting the full version of Vande Mataram.
Similarly, at the Legislative Council, the BJP members continued reciting the remaining stanzas of the national song, even as Council Chairman Saleem Ahmed started reading the preamble of the Constitution, as per the practice.
The BJP members then shouted slogans against the government for not playing the Vande Mataram in full.
The Congress government in Karnataka has ordered that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung at its programmes, except those attended by the president, vice-president, prime minister or governor.
BJP Legislators insulted the nation and sung full Vande Mataram to promote hate against the Nation said Bahujan Freedom Party President Advocate Dunna Ambedkar to IWP.
