The higher officials of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has said that ‘Vande Mataram’ is the real national anthem as opposing to the constitutionally-mandates, Jana Gana Mana.
Bhaiyyaji Josh, general secretary of the organisation said to PTI, “Jana Gana Mana is today our national anthem. It has to be respected. There is no reason why it should evoke any other sentiment.”
“But it is the national anthem as decided by the Constitution. If one considers the true meaning, then Vande Mataram is the national anthem,” he said on Friday at the Deendayal Upadhyay Research Institute in Mumbai.
“We consider things created due to the Constitution to be national,” Joshi said.
“When was Jana Gana Mana written? It was written some time back. But the sentiments expressed in Jana Gana Mana have been expressed keeping the state in view,” he said.
“However, the sentiments expressed in Vande Mataram denote the nation’s character and style. This is the difference between the two songs. Both deserve respect,” Joshi said.
However, a day later Bhagwat asked the organisation’s cadre to refrain from forcing people to chant the ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ slogan.
