Kasaragod, Nov. 10 -- Keralam Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Tuesday hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the controversy surrounding the rendition of the full version of 'Vande Mataram' at a government programme in Kasaragod, asserting that "nobody needs to teach me patriotism" and challenging the party to take legal action if it wished.

Defending his conduct at the programme held at the Mooliyar Family Health Centre in Mulleria, under the BJP-ruled Karadukka panchayat, Muraleedharan said the state government would not allow the BJP's agenda to be implemented through official events.

"The programme's agenda mentioned a prayer to God. Let them take legal action if they want; we will deal with it. I am the son of a freed...