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Ambedkar Nagar (Uttar Pradesh): A private school in this Uttar Pradesh district has
"altered" the national anthem, replacing several words, and made
its students sing it, as the management feels certain words in the
anthem do not have any "significance in a democracy".
The modifications have been made by the school's manager Ragunath
Singh and 400-odd students from Classes 1-5 of the Lord Buddha Ambedkar Arjak Mission Public School in Tanda town are being made
to the sing the country's "new" national anthem.
Singh claims that he "modified" the national anthem after he felt
that "some words in it have no significance in a democracy".
"Let me first clarify that by introducing the modifications in the
national anthem I do not intend to hurt the sentiments of the
countrymen...I am also an Indian and even cannot think of hurting
the sentiments of the people of India," Singh told reporters in
Ambedkar Nagar, some 150 km from Lucknow.
"Just for an example, we have the word 'adhinayak' in the opening
line of the national anthem. Now, 'adhinayak' refers to
monarchy...So, in a democracy like ours how can we use the word
adhinayak in the national anthem?" he added.
Singh claims Rabindranath Tagore wrote the poem, which was later
adopted as the national anthem, in honour of the British king
during his visit to India.
"I am not the first one to claim that...the national anthem was
sung for the first time for the royal welcome of George V...In my
opinion, several lines in the anthem directly convey praises for
the king. So, I have changed them all," Singh said.
"Like 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhata' has been replaced by me as Swarnim
Bharat Nirmata... Likewise, there are several changes like this
and the students are made to sing the modified version of the
anthem," said Singh.
On Singh's directives, the students sing the new anthem in the
morning assembly.
"For the last few weeks, we have been singing the different
version of the anthem...instructions in this regard were earlier
issued by our teachers," a Class 4 student told reporters.
Rakesh Kumar, the district in-charge of primary education in
Ambedkar Nagar, told IANS: "Yes, the matter has come to our
knowledge. Though we are yet to complete an enquiry ordered in
this regard, we are planning to take action against the school
manager under Section 2 of the Prevention of Insult to National
Honour Act, 1971."
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