Jammu: Taking objection to National Conference president Omar Abdullah's statement that "vande mataram" should be sung only by those willing to sing it and should not be forced on anyone, the BJP has demanded an apology from the MP.

"Vande matram is our national song and every Indian should respect it. "Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the national song should get respect in the state as well," Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ashok Khajuria said here.

Abdullah, during an interaction with reporters on November 15 at Jammu, had said referring to the national song that "anyone is at liberty to sing what he wants and nobody should be forced to sing what he did not want".

"Abduallh being a member of Parliament is bound by the Constitution to respect every symbol of the nation," the BJP leader said and asked the NC chief to apologize for his comments.

Source : PTI