National anthem now must in student hostels in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Taking a cue from the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), the social justice and empowerment department (SJE) too has made it mandatory to play national anthem in the morning in government hostels. The JMC had in October started the daily practice of playing the national anthem at the start of the day and the national song in the evening.

As per the order issued on Monday the students will have to sing “Jana Gana Mana” in the morning meeting at 7 am. Interestingly, the order was issued on Monday but the directive reportedly came into effect on Sunday, November 26. The social justice and empowerment department has 789 hostels for OBC, SC and ST students under its aegis. There are close to 40,000 students in these hostels. Social justice and empowerment minister Arun Chaturvedi said the move would instil a “sense of nationalism” among students. “Hostel wardens will have to be present during such sessions,” he said.

According to director Samit Sharma, residential schools have already been singing the national anthem.

“Hostel inmates gather for a daily prayer in the morning but due to absence of wardens it was not followed on a daily basis. The order has been reissued to ensure that the national anthem is sung on a daily basis,” he said. In October, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation made it compulsory for all its employees to sing the national anthem in the morning and Vande Mataram in the evening. City mayor Ashok Lahoty further added that “those who don’t want to sing can go to Pakistan.” Some, however, also link this to internal politics of the BJP. Mayor Ashok Lahoty and SJE minister Arun Chaturvedi compete for the same Assembly seat in the state capital. In 2008, Lahoty outbid Chaturvedi to get the ticket for the prestigious Civil Lines. Lahoty lost the election and Chaturvedi, who had become state president of the party. Lahoty then contested for Municipal Corporation having become mayor of the corporation in the state capital. He, too, now is in a position to challenge Chaturvedi. Since Lahoty’s initiative of national anthem and national song in the JMC got appreciated by the party and the Sangh; the minister has now followed suit.

Earlier this month, the Rajasthan Youth Board had also organised a ‘Vande Mataram’ event at SMS stadium on November 8, which was attended by chief minister Vasundhara Raje.