Bengal govt directs schools to mandatorily include singing of Vande Mataram

The West Bengal government has directed all state-run and aided schools to mandatorily include the singing of Vande Mataram during morning assemblies with immediate effect, according to an official communication issued by the School Education department.

The directive states that every student must participate in the singing the national song at the start of the school day. Heads of institutions have been instructed to ensure strict compliance.

?The singing of Vande Mataram during morning assembly prayers prior to the



start of classes should be made mandatory so that Vande Mataram should be sung by all students in all schools in the state with immediate effect,? the Director of Education specified in a communication to state-run and state-aided school heads on May 13.

The move comes shortly after the Union government initiated steps to strengthen provisions related to respect for national symbols, including a proposed amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making obstruction to the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence.