India, Oct. 31 -- The state government on October 27 directed all schools in Maharashtra to sing the complete version of the national song 'Vande Mataram' from October 31 to November 7 to celebrate the song's 150th anniversary. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh and Abu Azmi, demanding that the government scrap the order.

As per a government circular, Vande Mataram, penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, completes 150 years on October 3. In the schools across the state, the first two stanzas of the national song are sung at present, but to mark the song's 150 years, the circular mandated schools to sing the entire song for a week, and also put up an exhibition depicting the history of the song.

Shai...