'Sing anthem or go to Pakistan': Rule for Jaipur employees
What's the story
Jaipur civic body employees will now have to compulsorily attend renditions of the national anthem before work and the national song after work daily. According to Jaipur Mayor Ashok Lahoti, this will bring positive energy and boost efficiency. Those who have objections "should go to Pakistan". This has created a major controversy. Congress called it BJP's "competition for who the biggest nationalist is".
Policy
What does the new order entail?
Under the new policy, employees will sing the national anthem everyday at 9:50am. The benefits are many, said Lahoti: it'll instill patriotism, develop work culture and discipline, and encourage people to come on time. Then there will be a Vande Mataram rendition at 5:50pm, which will apparently remove fatigue and instill positive energy. Instead of assembling, employees can sing from wherever they are.
Objection
'Mayor's statement is only to display patriotism', Congress claims
Though Congress supported the move, it protested Lahoti's orders for people to go to Pakistan. Rajasthan Congress vice-president Archana Sharma said it implies "he wants to add his name to the list of BJP leaders competing with each other to display their patriotism". Lahoti later called it "friendly banter" and clarified what he meant: "I said this isn't Pakistan (that someone will oppose)."
Cities
Meanwhile, other cities follow suit after Jaipur
After Jaipur, civic bodies in Guwahati and Bhopal are also mooting similar policies. According to Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania, the advantages of singing the national anthem before work are twofold: people would reach office on time and also desist from wrongdoings at work. Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma said a proposal to sing the anthem and national song daily would be moved soon.