Karnataka BJP to hold 5-day padayatra over Vande Mataram row from Sept 15

Bengaluru, Sep 12 (PTI) The BJP will organise a five-day padayatra across all 224 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka from September 15 to protest the state government's decision to limit Vande Mataram to two stanzas at official events, party state president B Y Vijayendra said on Saturday.

He said party workers and members of the public would undertake the foot march and meet tahsildars and deputy commissioners to submit memoranda demanding that the government withdraw its decision.

He criticised Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's decision, taken at a recent Cabinet meeting, regarding the rendition of the national song.

"Vande Mataram is not merely a song. It ignited the spirit of the freedom struggle among crores of Indians and evoked a sense of patriotism among the people," Vijayendra told reporters here.

Pointing out that the Centre had decided that all six stanzas should be sung, he called the Karnataka government's decision to limit it to two stanzas as "unfortunate", and alleged that it was aimed at "appeasing minorities." "Padayatra will be held for five days from September 15 in all assembly constituencies. Let Shivakumar learn a lesson from the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is in favour of following the Centre's decision to sing all six stanzas," he said.

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.

In January, the Union Home Ministry directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung before the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, when both are played together. The directive was issued as the Centre marked the 150th year of Vande Mataram.

However, the Congress Working Committee decided on August 19 to abide by its 1937 resolution on Vande Mataram, under which only two stanzas of the National Song would be sung at party events.

Responding to another question, Vijayendra said there was speculation that people within the Congress who had information about Minister Satish Jarkiholi could have provided it to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and "trapped" him.

He said Jarkiholi was also an aspirant for the chief minister's post (for 2028) and questioned whether "internal rivalry" within the Congress was behind the ED searches on the minister and his family.

"There is no role of the BJP in the ED raids. There is discussion about whether internal differences in the Congress and the fight for the chief minister's post have led to a conspiracy or a plot," he said.

The BJP chief also alleged that information could have been provided to the ED with the intention of sidelining Jarkiholi as a potential contender for the chief minister's post.

Jarkiholi, who recently faced ED searches on Saturday, said he is aware of who complained against him to the central agency and has brought it to the notice of CM Shivakumar. PTI