HRD Minister Arjun Singh's grand idea to celebrate 100 years of Vande Mataram reminds me in strange ways of the Tebbit Test. The BJP wants everyone to sing. The Congress says it's not compulsory. What's the difference? Can anyone tell? First one proposes this grand idea of singing a song and then says it's not complusory. That in no way helps anyone. Because by that time everyone has hijacked your idea. People at the receiving end are those who hardly have a voice--economically challenged and nowhere in any power equation. And then you have everyone from so-called rockstars to filmstars singing the song. Everyone suddenly realises there is a song that was lying in the country's cupboard. Bring it out, and you better sing.
What are the Commmunists saying? The Left as confused and as intellectual as ever says, it is objectionable to oppose singing of Vande Mataram. Left is opposed to the stand of Muslim fundamentalists who oppose singing, but at the same time Left is also opposed to the stand of the BJP and Shiv Sena on the issue. So how many feet does the Left have?
And so, students from schools are being forced to sing the song on national TV. Students from the non-elite schools of the country. Students in Madarsas or government schools. Why are they being forced to sing? Can the HRD Minister or the BJP or the Left walk in say to Modern School, in Delhi or Cathedral in Bombay and ask the students to sing Vande Mataram. It's not that I am asking them to. The point I am trying to drive home is that alongwith minority politics, economic disparity is also a prime force shaping all that is finally implemented. The power equations in this country, 100 years after the Bankim Chandra's Bande Mataram or 60 years of independence remain as fedual as before and that's why we have people carving up the country into personal fiefdoms. People from both sides of the political fence. So today we will have somone asking us to sing Vande Mataram. Tomorrow the tune might change to the Communist International. And will people who decide actually be bothered by these dangerous divisive stands. Hardly. Find out how many of these ministers will actually make their kids sing the song. Many will have to sing it over the phone from abroad, if at all they ever do.
About the AuthorArijit Sen Arijit Sen reports from Northeast India. He was at NDTV before joining CNN-IBN in 2005. Arijit began journalism in December 1999 with The Edit page of...Read Morefirst published:September 07, 2006, 14:37 ISTlast updated:September 07, 2006, 14:37 IST
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Remember the Tebbit Test? In 1990 British Politician Norman Tebbit proposed the Cricket test that told the ethnic minorities in United Kingdom they wouldn't be considered truly British until they supported the English cricket team when it played the country of their origin. So if you are a "Paki" ( Indians, Pakistanis or Bangladeshi) you have to cheer for Michael Collingwood over Inzamam or Rahul Dravid.
HRD Minister Arjun Singh's grand idea to celebrate 100 years of Vande Mataram reminds me in strange ways of the Tebbit Test. The BJP wants everyone to sing. The Congress says it's not compulsory. What's the difference? Can anyone tell? First one proposes this grand idea of singing a song and then says it's not complusory. That in no way helps anyone. Because by that time everyone has hijacked your idea. People at the receiving end are those who hardly have a voice--economically challenged and nowhere in any power equation. And then you have everyone from so-called rockstars to filmstars singing the song. Everyone suddenly realises there is a song that was lying in the country's cupboard. Bring it out, and you better sing.
What are the Commmunists saying? The Left as confused and as intellectual as ever says, it is objectionable to oppose singing of Vande Mataram. Left is opposed to the stand of Muslim fundamentalists who oppose singing, but at the same time Left is also opposed to the stand of the BJP and Shiv Sena on the issue. So how many feet does the Left have?
And so, students from schools are being forced to sing the song on national TV. Students from the non-elite schools of the country. Students in Madarsas or government schools. Why are they being forced to sing? Can the HRD Minister or the BJP or the Left walk in say to Modern School, in Delhi or Cathedral in Bombay and ask the students to sing Vande Mataram. It's not that I am asking them to. The point I am trying to drive home is that alongwith minority politics, economic disparity is also a prime force shaping all that is finally implemented. The power equations in this country, 100 years after the Bankim Chandra's Bande Mataram or 60 years of independence remain as fedual as before and that's why we have people carving up the country into personal fiefdoms. People from both sides of the political fence. So today we will have somone asking us to sing Vande Mataram. Tomorrow the tune might change to the Communist International. And will people who decide actually be bothered by these dangerous divisive stands. Hardly. Find out how many of these ministers will actually make their kids sing the song. Many will have to sing it over the phone from abroad, if at all they ever do.
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