CHENNAI: The Madras high court has made singing of Vande Mataram in schools, government offices, private entities and industries in Tamil Nadu compulsory. While schools must sing it at least once a week, the song must be crooned in offices once a month, said Justice M V Muralidharan.
However, the judge made it clear that in the event, any person/organisation has difficulty in singing or playing the song, they shall not be compelled or forced to sing it, provided there are valid reasons for not doing so. The judge added that youth of this country are the future of tomorrow and they should take this order in the right spirit.
Justice Muralidharan issued the order on a plea moved by K Veeramani, who failed to clear the written test for teachers as he answered that the song was written in Bengali. The petitioner found that he lost the post by one mark, as he answered Bengali for the question on the language of 'Vande Mataram'. He alleged that the recruitment authority had made a mistake in the answer key by mentioning that the song was written in Sanskrit. He claimed that for the mistake made by the board, he lost his opportunity.
The Government pleader contended that the song was originally written in Sanskrit and was translated later in Bengali. To clear the ambiguity, the judge directed the Advocate General to find out the right answer. When the plea came up for hearing, the AG clarified that the original language of 'Vande Mataram' was Sanskrit but written in Bengali.
