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LUCKNOW: UP CM Yogi Adityanath Monday blamed Congress and Muhammad Ali Jinnah for India’s “cultural division” and Partition, saying the compromise made over “Vande Mataram” was the first and most dangerous outcome of Congress’ appeasement politics.Initiating a discussion on Vande Mataram in the Assembly on second day of the winter session, the CM said the compromise made by Congress over Vande Mataram gave rise to separatism. He also said the opposition to “Vande Mataram” was neither religious nor faith-based but purely political.The UP assembly became the first House to take up the discussion on “Vande Mataram”. “Chhay chhandon mein gaya jana wala Rashtriya geet hai, usko kaat kar do chhandon mein simit karna, ye kisi majhabi majboori ka natija tha ya satta bachane ke liye rashtra chetna ko girvi rakhne ke liye ek suniyojit sajish (The national anthem, which was originally meant to be sung in 6 verses, was cut down and limited to 2 verses. Was this the result of some religious compulsion, or was it a well-planned conspiracy to mortgage national consciousness in order to cling to power?),” Yogi said.The CM claimed that as long as Jinnah was in Congress, “Vande Mataram” was not a point of contention. “Once Jinnah left the Congress, he made it a tool of the Muslim League and deliberately gave the song a communal colour. The song remained the same, but the agenda changed,” Yogi said.
