Thursday, January 13 2005 14:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Peeved at a demand for dropping of the word 'Sindh' from the National Anthem, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) president L K Advani has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, disfavouring any alteration in the Anthem.

Criticising the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court, which seeks dropping of 'Sindh' from the Anthem on the argument that it is no longer a part of India, he said that the petition had the potential of generating "pulls and pressures by narrow-minded forces that can seriously undermine India's unity and integrity."

Advani, who was born in Sindh that is now a part of Pakistan, contended that the word 'Sindh' was a "sacred inheritance bequeathed to independent India by our freedom struggle."

In the letter, Advani emphasises that 'Vande Mataram' has an "equal status" to that of the National Anthem 'Jana Gana Mana'.

To back his argument, he cites then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's address to the Constituent Assembly on August 25, 1948 in which the late leader observes that "Vande Mataram should continue to be the National Song par excellence in India, (while) the National Anthem tune should be that of 'Jana Gana Mana'."

Conveying his party's "deep concern and anguish at the needless and avoidable controversy" created by the PIL, he said, "Retention of the word 'Sindh' in our National Anthem is... a proof of our protective role towards our civilisation and culture."

The petitioner has demanded deletion of the word 'Sindh' arguing that it was no longer a part of India.