Mukesh Khanna demands replacement of national anthem with ‘Vande Mataram’

Actor Mukesh Khanna has called for the replacement of India’s national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, with ‘Vande Mataram’. During the launch of his new patriotic song ‘Aao Bachon’, Khanna expressed his view that the current anthem is a tribute to the British monarchy rather than a true representation of the nation.

Khanna claimed that ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was written by Rabindranath Tagore as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth and argued that certain terms within the anthem, such as ‘Bhagya Vidhata’, ‘Punjab’, and ‘Sindh’, do not feel authentically Indian. He asserted that ‘Vande Mataram’ better reflects the spirit of the country.

The actor noted that he has previously made this demand and has recorded a seven-minute version of ‘Vande Mataram’ in collaboration with Kalyanji-Anandji. He also suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already begun emphasizing ‘Vande Mataram’ in schools and various public programs.