The BJP filed a police complaint against Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan and three others for allegedly disrespecting Vande Mataram. The group sat down before the song finished at a government function. Muraleedharan said, "The BJP need not teach me patriotism." The party insists only two stanzas are enough.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP has filed a police complaint against Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan, Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnith, MLA Kallatra Mahin, and Kasargod District Collector Sreedhanya Suresh for allegedly showing disrespect to the national song Vande Mataram.
The four sat down after the first two stanzas of "Vande Mataram" at a government function in Kasaragod, while two BJP panchayat members continued singing all six stanzas. Minister Muraleedharan responded, saying, "I am the son of a freedom fighter. The BJP need not teach me patriotism."
Muraleedharan expressed his displeasure over the full rendition of Vande Mataram on the stage.
The incident took place during the inauguration of a laboratory at the Mulleria Family Health Centre in Kasargod. The minister sat down before the song was completed. K Neelakandan MLA and DCC president P K Faisal, however, remained standing until the song was fully rendered.
Although the Central government had directed that Vande Mataram be sung in full at official functions, the Congress had taken the stand that singing the first two stanzas would suffice.
Muraleedharan had earlier clarified that the full version of Vande Mataram would not be sung in the state and that only two stanzas would be rendered at government programmes.