Vande Mataram was the catalyst mantra which brought freedom to India and united it. Hundreds of firebrand youth kissed the hanging rope and attained martyrdom with Vande Mataram on their lips. But now, after the ‘Deoband Outrage’, Union Minister and Thiruvananthapuram, MP, Shasi Tharoor has said that singing of Vande Mataram is unnecessary.
Speaking at a meeting of Church of South India (CSI) at Thiruvananthapuram, he said the National Song should be optional like sports. “Don’t sing it if you don’t want to. No one forces you.”
The BJP and RSS strongly protested against it. Padmashri P Parameswaran, RSS ideologue wrote a letter to him demanding an apology, but he didn’t’ show the courtesy and decency to even acknowledge the letter.
Shri Parameswaran on December 10, 2009 wrote letters to the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker demanding apology from Tharoor and reprimand of the Union Minister.
“Shasi Tharoor’s Suo-moto, unwarranted statement was irrelevant to the occasion. It derogates and denigrates Vande Mataram. It is a violation of ministerial and parliamentary oath. It is tantamount to inciting the Christians to oppose Vande Mataram. Genuinely, they don’t have objection in singing it. The Pope during his visit to Bharat knelt down and touched this ancient land of rishis and gods.”
Shri Parameswaran said this unpatriotic act deserves serious reprimand from Government of India, the Parliament and Congress Party.
Shasi Tharoor’s act of instructing people to put their right hand on chest while singing ‘National Anthem’, at a bank function in Kochi was challenged for insult to National Anthem and is still in the Court. His describing, Indians travelling in economy class as ‘Cattle Class’ raised a big storm. This international citizen seems to have forgotten his Indian roots!
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