Govt circular excludes pvt schools from singing Naada Geethe, minister claims ‘printing mistake’

BENGALURU: Days after the controversy over the change in the tagline of the Morarji Desai residential school, the Congress government in the state waded into another row by relaxing the norms on singing of the Naada Geethe (Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate), composed by poet-laureate Kuvempu, at private schools.

So far, singing of the Naada Geethe was compulsory in all schools before the start of the day’s academic activities. All government departments, offices, authorities and government institutions also had to organise singing of the Naada Geethe at the start of all official programmes.

Now, the Kannada and Culture Department has revised the circular on February 16 to exclude private schools while singing of the Naada Geethe will be limited to government schools.

Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi claimed that it was a printing mistake.

Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, reacting to the issue, said, “It’s a minor printing mistake. The note sheet says all schools should follow it. I will get the mistake rectified today itself. Our government has full respect for Kannada, the Naada Geethe and the national anthem.

BJP MLA Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said the bureaucracy had taken over the running of the government.

“Officials are running the government as per their whims. The government has become ineffective and the bureaucracy has taken over. The government is completely disconnected. They are constantly insulting poet-laureate Kuvempu. The government should act against these officials”, said BJP MLA Dr C N Ashwath Narayan.