Will not accept any attempt to edit National Anthem: Mamata

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) will not accept any attempt to edit the National Anthem, party's chairperson Mamata Banerjee said.

Subramanian Swamy has written a letter to Narendra Modi requesting him to drop the word "Sindhu" from the song. No statement has yet been received from Modi in this regard.

Talking to newsmen at Nabanna on Monday afternoon, Banerjee said: "We are ready to give blood and under no circumstance will allow any attempt to change any word. The song was written by Tagore to show his respect to Mother India. Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Nazrul and Netaji have received world recognition. Tagore has helped us dream of a Bengal with an international outlook."

Reacting sarcastically to Amit Shah's statement that Tagore was born in Birbhum, Banerjee remarked: "I think time has come that I start doing research on Tagore to show that he was not born in Bolpur but in Jorasanko."

The statement has been severely criticised in the social media but Shah has not apologised for making a historically wrong comment. Trinamool Chatra Parishad on Sunday had staged a demonstration outside Rabindra Bharati campus at Jorasanko criticising Shah.

Banerjee said she will go to Bolpur to hold an administrative meeting on December 28. This will be followed by a political meeting. On December 29 she will take part in a rally in Bolpur. Banerjee said local people from all walks of life will take part in the rally. Trinamool Congress leaders led by Anubrata Mondol, district president, is already on the job to make the rally a success.