Religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj has stirred a new controversy. He stated that Vande Mataram should replace Jana Gana Mana as India’s national anthem.
Speaking in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Tuesday, he claimed Jana Gana Mana was sung to praise a British king. “Rabindranath Tagore sang this song in Kolkata in 1911 before George V. India wasn’t independent then. The song wasn’t meant for the country,” he alleged.
Maharaj insisted his remarks weren’t about disrespecting the current anthem. “This is about stating the truth,” he told reporters. He added, “We must start a struggle to make Vande Mataram our national anthem.”
Later, when asked about the backlash, he stood firm. “If speaking the truth is seen as disrespect, that’s unfortunate,” he said.
Jana Gana Mana was adopted as the national anthem by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950. The song, originally composed in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was later translated into Hindi.
Ramgiri Maharaj was in the city for the trailer launch of the film Mission Ayodhya.
The Hindu religious leader is no stranger to controversy. Last year, he faced multiple cases in Maharashtra for alleged objectionable remarks about Prophet Mohammad and Islam. His comments once again put him in the spotlight, reigniting debates over India’s national symbols.
for more updates follow ANN MEDIA on facebook , X , Instagram and Linkedin
