Maharashtra: In a controversial statement, religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj has called for 'Vande Mataram' to be declared India's national anthem, questioning the significance of 'Jana Gana Mana,' which was composed by Rabindranath Tagore and adopted as the national anthem in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950.
While addressing a gathering in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city on Tuesday, Maharaj argued that the current national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana' was not intended as a tribute to the nation. He claimed that the anthem was first sung by Tagore in Kolkata in 1911 before India gained independence and in front of King George V, the British monarch who was responsible for much of the oppression in India.
“This song was sung in front of a British king, who was committing injustice in India. It was not sung to address the country,” Ramgiri Maharaj asserted. He called for a national movement to make 'Vande Mataram' the official anthem, stating, “We will have to launch a struggle for this (making Vande Mataram national anthem). Vande Mataram should be our national anthem.”
When questioned by reporters about the controversial comment, he clarified that it was not about disrespect but about speaking the truth. “If speaking the truth is being termed as disrespect, it is unfortunate,” he added.
Maharaj was in the city for the trailer launch of the upcoming film 'Mission Ayodhya'. His remarks come amidst ongoing controversy surrounding his previous comments on Prophet Mohammad and Islam, which led to multiple legal cases being filed against him in Maharashtra last year.
With PTI inputs