'Vande Mataram' Made Mandatory in UP Schools and Colleges

On November 10, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the national song 'Vande Mataram' will be mandatory in all schools and colleges across the state. The government’s decision has also drawn reactions from former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Addressing a unity march in Gorakhpur, he said, "This step will inspire citizens with respect and pride for Mother India and the nation." He added that it would strengthen students’ sense of national and patriotic spirit.

However, opposition parties, particularly Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, reacted sharply, turning the issue into a political debate. Akhilesh Yadav remarked humorously about the mandatory rule, saying, "We will sing 'Jana Gana Mana'… A child came to me earlier; I wanted to give him sweets but he said he wanted cake. Should I force a sweet into his mouth?" He added, "We fought for the country's independence so that our own constitution could exist, not for forcing a song on a child who knows nothing."

The state government clarified that making 'Vande Mataram' mandatory in schools is not about putting pressure on anyone but about instilling respect for the nation.