Refusing to sing Vande Mataram reflects narrow-mindedness: CM Adityanath

LUCKNOW: Amid the row over 'Vande Mataram', Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today hit out at those refusing to sing the national song saying it reflected their "narrow mindedness". "Some people are saying that we will not sing Vande Matram... we want this country to move ahead in the 21st century and the matter of dispute is that we will sing Vande Matram or not...this is a matter of concern," he said. "We will have to find a way out to overcome this narrow mindedness," Adityanath said. The Chief Minister was speaking at a book release function at the Raj Bhawan. His remarks came against the backdrop of Samajwadi Party corporators protesting a proposal to make singing of the national song compulsory at commencement of proceedings of a meeting of Allahabad municipal corporation. The recent incident came days after municipal corporations in Meerut and Varanasi too witnessed similar ruckus over the issue. Recalling the 150th anniversary functions of the Allahabad High Court, the Chief Minister said it had commenced with the rendition of 'Vande Matram'. "It was such a good sight... it was a grand function, a historical one. The Prime Minister of the country was present at the concluding function. The Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the state were also present. The function itself started with the national song," the chief minister noted. Knows as the firebrand Hindutva leader, Adityanath, in his first television interview since he was sworn-in as the chief minister, had said that there is nothing wrong with the concept of a Hindu rashtra. "I want to state something very clearly. The concept of the Hindu Rashtra is not wrong. A full bench of the Supreme Court has given a specific decision on this....It is a way of life." the CM told DD. The Adityanath government has also decided to make yoga compulsory in secondary schools run by it. Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who holds the higher and secondary education portfolios, said such an introduction was "inevitable for the better health of the students." 44-year-old Adityanath, a priest-turned-politician, is known for his fiery speeches and mass following across the state. Born Ajay Singh, the diminutive shaven headed politician who heads the Gorakhnath Mutt, is known for his powerful oratory, though most of his speeches hinge on divisive lines and has been in the forefront in keeping the communal politics alive in the country. Adityanath, who is a strong votary of construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, drove BJPs Hindutva campaign in eastern UP in the recently held Assembly polls in the politically crucial state where it won three- fourths majority.