New Delhi:<\/strong> Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday asserted that the Congress party laid the foundation for \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019 and played a historic role in shaping the nation\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Addressing the media at Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi, Shivakumar said, \u201cOur party laid the foundation for \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019. It is our party that gave this country the national flag, the national anthem, the Constitution and Independence. It is our party that has served this nation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He added that the fact that the BJP and other parties are now following the Congress tradition brings satisfaction to his party. \u201cNow the BJP and others are following us. That itself gives us happiness,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Responding to questions about demands to accord \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019 the same status as the national anthem and make it mandatory, Shivakumar maintained that the Congress has always respected the song. \u201cWe sing \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019 at every stage while beginning our programmes. We give respect to \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019 and we follow it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Referring to past decisions taken by the Congress government in Karnataka, Shivakumar cited the move to make Kuvempu\u2019s \u2018Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate\u2019 compulsory as the state anthem during the tenure of former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna. He noted that the anthem reflects inclusivity and communal harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt contains the line \u2018Sarvajanangada Shantiya Thota\u2019 \u2014 a garden of peace for all communities. Hindus, Christians and Muslims are all mentioned in the song itself. We are the ones who have grown up on such soil,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked whether such a move would lead to two national anthems, Shivakumar responded cautiously, saying, \u201cWe will speak about that later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On internal political developments, particularly remarks made by his brother and former Congress MP D.K. Suresh that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would keep his word despite delays, Shivakumar remained cryptic. \u201cI have said that time will give the answer. I have also said that only we know what we have spoken about,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pressed further on when that \u201ctime\u201d would come, he replied, \u201cI will tell you at the appropriate time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regarding speculation about a meeting with Priyanka Gandhi, Shivakumar clarified that he had only visited the Congress office and is currently occupied with Assam election work. \u201cWhy discuss different issues in different ways? I will speak about this later. Time will give the answer,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New Delhi: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday asserted that the Congress party laid the foundation for \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019 and played a historic role in shaping the nation\u2019s identity. Addressing the media at Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi, Shivakumar said, \u201cOur party laid the foundation for \u2018Vande Mataram\u2019. It is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[15,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\n