Maharashtra govt tells employees to answer calls with 'Vande Mataram' instead of 'hello'

The Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis dispensation has issued a government resolution (GR) directing the employees of the state government to greet government staff and people with ‘Vande Mataram’ instead of 'hello' on phone calls.

The campaign was launched on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and coincides with the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'.

The GR was issued by the General Administration Department headed by Shinde - and is applicable to employees across government, semi-government, local civic bodies, aided schools, colleges and other institutions.

According to the GR, employees would now say ‘Vande Mataram’ when receiving calls from citizens or government officials, and also while addressing staff speaking to citizens or making public announcements, instead of 'hello'.

The campaign was formally launched in Wardha by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state’s Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.

Asked whether it is an order or appeal, Mungantiwar said: “It's a campaign that we are launching on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti….in fact, 'Jana Gana Mana' penned by Ravindranath Tagore is the national anthem and ‘Vande Mataram’ written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee is national song.”

“The slogan ‘Vande Mataram’ played an important role in our independence movement. Bhagat Singh’s last word was ‘Vande Mataram’, we have to bring ‘Vande Mataram’ in our daily routine again….from today onwards, we will start the ‘Vande Mataram’ movement,” said Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.

“The country is celebrating the 75th year of Independence and in accordance with its appropriateness, it was decided that the government employees will no longer use 'hello', but instead start their telephone conversation with ‘Vande Mataram’,” said Mungantiwar, a senior BJP leader, who had initiated the move.

However, the issue seems to be snowballing into a major issue with some parties and a section of people opposing it.

Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra unit President Abu Asim Azmi said that it was not acceptable. “We would say ‘Saare Jahan Se Accha’ and not ‘Vande Mataram’. Muslims cannot say ‘Vande Mataram’ as it is against their faith,” he said.

Azmi also wanted to know from Shinde whether he had done away with ‘Jai Maharashtra’ and taken up ‘Vande Mataram’ under the pressure of BJP. “I had met Balasaheb Thackeray a few times…he would always say ‘Jai Maharashtra’ and Shiv Sainiks would respond with that,” he pointed out.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi too had their take on the issue.

Shiv Sena spokesperson and farmers leader Kishor Tiwari, who is from the Uddhav Thackeray-led group, said: “Saying ‘Vande Mataram’ is a welcome development. However, to respect farmers, there should be a campaign to say ‘Jai Kisan’ and to have a corruption-free government ‘Jai Seva’,” he said.

NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said: “The Maharashtra government has issued a diktat asking its employees to say ‘Vande Mataram’ instead of ‘hello’ when they answer their phone calls. ‘Vande Mataram’ invokes a sense of pride and a feeling of patriotism among Indians and forcing them to say so is not right, especially when they are asking their employees to say ‘Vande Mataram’ even when they use their private telephones.This is nothing but infringement of their Right to Freedom of Speech and also imposition of a particular mindset on the people. Let them say 'Vande Mataram' with pride, don't force them to say so."

Mumbai Congress Working President Charan Singh Sapra said: “The notification of Maharashtra's 'ED' government is a ploy to divert attention from major issues of concern... inflation, unemployment, fall of Rupee…it's also a step towards polarisation. It is completely against the ideals of Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti’.