New Delhi: Backtracking from his earlier stand against the singing of Vande Mataram, Shiromani Guirdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh on Wednesday said that he had never been against the singing of the national song.
Earlier the SGPC had ended for the Sikh community, the 'sing or not to sing' debate by announcing that the song will no longer be sung in the institutions it runs.
The SGPC had also advised Sikh parents against sending their children to school on September 7, the day of the planned centenary celebrations of Vande Mataram.
The group had earlier stated that the song promoted Hindutva and hurt the sentiments of minorities, despite the fact that many people of the community felt that the issue was simply being politicised and that the song was national enough.
The SGPC chief had demanded that the singing of Deh Shiva Var Mohe, written by their spiritual leader, Guru Gobind Singh, be made compulsory by Sikh educational institutions.
However, on Wednesday Avtar Singh in a complete abouturn stated he had said that both Deh Shiva Var Mohe and Vande Mataram be sung simultaneously in Sikh educational institutions.
SGPC workers said that no attempt would be made to stop the singing of the national song in educational institutions run by them.
(With inputs from UNI)
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