Karnataka Assembly Session Begins Amid National Anthem Dispute

The three-day special session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly began on Monday with an unusual and emotional scene. Even before the proceedings of the House began, there were differences between the treasury and opposition benches over the national anthem'Vande Mataram '. In fact, the state government had recently given instructions to sing only the first two intervals of Vande Mataram in official government programmes. As per the protocol set when the assembly proceedings began on Monday morning, the first two intervals of Vande Mataram were sung and then the official singing was ended. However, even after this, the opposition MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok continued to sing Vande Mataram. The opposition MLAs had brought with them written copies of the remaining intervals of Vande Mataram and they also sang the remaining lines after the first two intervals. This development on the opening day of the Assembly made the beginning of the House a topic of discussion both from a political and emotional point of view.