A Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) lawmaker refused to respect “Vande Mataram” in the Bihar assembly, stirring up controversy over the song. The incident took place on Thursday 30th June 2022, the last day of the monsoon session of the Bihar legislative assembly. RJD MLA Saud Alam stood up for the national anthem Jana Gana Mana but did not stand up for the national song Vande Mataram. He tried to justify his action by saying that it is a Hindu song and the country has not become a Hindu nation yet.
Watch: Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) MLA Saud Alam refused to stand up for the “#VandeMataram” in the Bihar assembly.
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) July 1, 2022
“Our country has not become a Hindu nation yet, so I did not stand for the national song,” said MLA Saud Alam. #Bihar #SaudAlam pic.twitter.com/OwmLfvtexH
Thursday was the last day of the Bihar Legislative Assembly’s monsoon session. When the proceedings were over, all MLAs, including CM Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav, stood up for the national song Vande Mataram, with the exception of one MLA Saud Alam from Lalu Yadav’s party Rashtriya Janata Dal. Saud Alam is an MLA from the Thakurganj constituency. His refusal to stand up while Vande Mataram was being played in the Bihar legislative assembly sparked a controversy.
When all the members came out of the assembly hall, journalists asked him why he didn’t respect the National Song. Saud Alam defended his action saying that India is not a Hindu nation yet. He said, “Vande Mataram is not our national anthem. Our national anthem is Jana Gana Mana, and that’s why I did not stand.” Sanjay Kumar Singh, a Bihar BJP MLA, chastised Alam and stated that such behavior would not be accepted. Singh told reporters that the RJD MLA had disrespected national heroes by refusing to stand in honor of Vande Mataram. He further stated that such persons are unneeded in the legislature.
This is not the first time an RJD leader disrespected Vande Mataram. Previously, prominent RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui stated that reciting Vande Mataram violated his religious convictions. Siddiqui went on to say that individuals who believe in a single God will never sing Vande Mataram.
