Shimla, Aug. 23 -- Amid an escalating political row over the alleged disrespect of the National Anthem and the singing of Vande Mataram during the first day of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly's Monsoon Session, BJP legislators and party leaders, led by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur gathered at the Ridge in Shimla on Sunday and sang all six stanzas of Vande Mataram along with the National Anthem.

The event was held in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Ridge, where BJP leaders also sang patriotic songs and were joined by members of the Muslim community, including community leader Bilal Ahmad Shah.

The controversy began after Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu alleged that BJP MLAs had disrespected the National Anthem during...