"Vande Mataram is soul of country": BJP MP Sadanandan backs Keralam Governor

"What our Governor told us is absolutely correct. Vande Mataram is not merely a patriotic song; it is the soul of our country. Our freedom fighters came forward to fight for the freedom of our country. They sacrificed their lives and fought against the British. They came forward with the inspiration of what Vande Mataram manifested," he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP C Sadanandan Master on Thursday backed Keralam Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar's remarks on the protest against a seminar marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, asserting that the national song is the "soul" of the country and alleging a conspiracy behind opposition to it. Speaking to reporters, Sadanandan Master said Vande Mataram played a significant role in India's freedom struggle and inspired freedom fighters in their fight against British rule.

"What our Governor told us is absolutely correct. Vande Mataram is not merely a patriotic song; it is the soul of our country. Our freedom fighters came forward to fight for the freedom of our country. They sacrificed their lives and fought against the British. They came forward with the inspiration of what Vande Mataram manifested," he said. The BJP MP alleged that protests or slogans against Vande Mataram were the result of a conspiracy involving three groups.

"The agitation or any slogan against Vande Mataram is, surely, without a doubt, the result of a conspiracy. There is a conspiracy by three forces. One is the Marxist followers, the second is the Maududian followers, the Jihadi forces, and the third is the Nehruvian forces," Sadanandan Master said. "These three forces are coming together and trying to degrade our national ethos, our nationalism, our national feelings, etc. That is because of some conspiracy. That is what our Honourable Governor told us. It is absolutely correct," he added.

His remarks came after a case was registered against 25 unidentified students of the Central University of Kerala following a protest against a two-day seminar marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. The seminar was held at the university campus in Periya on October 6 and 7. Students had protested against the participation of J Nandakumar, national convener of an RSS-linked organisation, at the event.

Members of various student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Federation (AISF), Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Muslim Students Federation (MSF), participated in the protest. According to police, the students allegedly assembled unlawfully around 1.30 pm on Wednesday while the seminar was underway at the university's Library Hall and raised slogans, disrupting the proceedings.

The FIR stated that the protesters continued their demonstration despite being directed to disperse. Police said the case was registered suo motu based on information provided by personnel deployed for security at the event. The students have been booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to unlawful assembly, disobedience of a lawful order issued by a public servant and rioting. (ANI)