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NEWS : Ram, Krishna Bhajans Banned on Indian Trains
Following News From : http://www.indiawebpost.com/newsroom960917162604.html
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Ram, Krishna Bhajans
Banned on Indian Trains
VINOD DHAWAN
INDIA POST SOUTH ASIA BUREAU
NEW DELHI: Two BJP women MPs took the United Front Government to task in
the Lok Sabha by declaring that disco music and beauty pageants are the
latest symbols of "cultural degeneration" being promoted by the Government.
They blasted the Government for banning on trains Ram and Krishna bhajans
(religious songs) and even non-sectarian songs praising or appealing to
God.
Former Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj said disco music
was replacing piped devotional music on the Rajdhani trains "in the name of
secularism." Another BJP member Sumitra Mahajan said beauty pageant (being
organized in Bangalore in November by Amitabh Bachchan's company) was part
of globalization and "an international conspiracy by the manufacturers of
consumer goods."
"Do Allah Tero Naam, Ishwar Tero Naam, or Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum, songs
belong to a particular religion or community?" Swaraj asked angrily during
the zero hour.
She narrated many more film songs of this genre that are no longer played
on Indian trains.
These and other songs were part of the morning music piped on the Rajdhani
trains over the years. But she was recently horrified to wake up to the
beat of disco numbers.
Upset co-passengers had signed a petition. On inquiry, the authorities on
the train showed her a circular which said "religious music shall not be
played on trains."
Taking a dig at "those who feel ashamed at the very mention of Ram or
Krishna," she nevertheless appealed to the Railway Minister (Ram Vilas
Paswan), "who has Ram as an inseparable part of his name," to revert to
devotional music on trains.
