Mukesh Khanna raised questions regarding ‘Jana Gana Mana’
‘Shaktimaan’ fame actor Mukesh Khanna is once again in the news due to his statement regarding the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and the national song ‘Vande Mataram’. Recently, while talking to news agency ANI, Khanna said that he does not consider ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the national anthem of India and advocated making ‘Vande Mataram’ the national anthem.
Mukesh Khanna raised questions regarding ‘Jana Gana Mana’
Mukesh Khanna claimed that ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was written in honor of George V during the British rule. He said that at that time India was under the British and that is why he does not find this song acceptable as a national anthem.
The actor also raised questions on the meaning of words like ‘Adhinayak’ and ‘Bharat Bhagya Vidhaata’ appearing in the lines of ‘Jana Gana Mana’. He said that Mother India and the flag of the country are our symbols, but they cannot be called ‘destiny makers’.
Desire to make ‘Vande Mataram’ the national anthem
Mukesh Khanna said that in ‘Vande Mataram’, respect and dedication towards the country has been expressed by addressing it as a mother. He expressed his wish that ‘Vande Mataram’ should be made the national anthem of India.
The actor also mentioned English education and colonial influence in his statement. He said that the British left India, but the English and colonial mentality they left behind is still visible in the society.
Government issued new guidelines
There is also talk of issuing new guidelines by the Central Government regarding ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. According to the report, instructions have been given regarding the use of both the songs and their sequence in various official programs.
It has been told that in the programs where both are presented, the order of ‘Vande Mataram’ first and then ‘Jana Gana Mana’ will be kept. In states where there is a provision for a state song, instructions have been given to follow the prescribed sequence.
However, there have been different opinions based on historical facts on the history of ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and Mukesh Khanna’s claim that it was written in honor of George V. Therefore his statement should be seen as his personal opinion.