Dehradun, Aug. 24 -- Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday described Vande Mataram as a symbol of national unity and appealed to saints and religious leaders to promote its full rendition, saying India would not be allowed to be divided again. Addressing a gathering of saints at the ancient Avdhoot Mandal Ashram in Haridwar, Chouhan sought the support of the saint community for the "One Nation, One Election" proposal, describing it as an important constitutional reform necessary to accelerate development, strengthen governance and ensure better utilisation of public resources. Chouhan said, "Vande Mataram was truncated before Independence under pressure from the Muslim League and that decision contributed to the Partition of the country. India would not be allowed to be divided again" He urged saints to raise the issue in their sermons and create awareness about the importance of the complete version of the national song. He said there should be no controversy over showing reverence to the motherland and appealed to the saint community to help create a wider public movement in support of the full rendition of Vande Mataram. "Once the voices of saints create a mass awakening, no one will dare oppose the full rendition of Vande Mataram," Chouhan said. The Union minister also urged saints to lend their influence to the campaign for "One Nation, One Election", saying their presence and large following could help take the proposal to people across the country. He said the issue should rise above political party lines as it concerned the larger national interest. Chouhan said frequent elections "affected the pace of development and resulted in considerable expenditure of public money, besides diverting the administrative machinery towards election-related duties". He said officials, teachers, police personnel and security forces were repeatedly deployed for elections, while the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct affected the implementation of government programmes. According to Chouhan, holding Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously would save considerable time and resources and allow the administration to concentrate more consistently on development and public welfare. He said the time and expenditure involved in repeated election preparations could instead be used for improving public services and implementing development projects. Frequent elections also disrupt the functioning of educational institutions and require government departments to repeatedly divert personnel towards election duties, he added. Chouhan said the proposal was not merely a political initiative but an issue concerning the entire country. He endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to bring "One Nation, One Election" to the centre of the national debate and referred to the steps taken by the government, including the introduction of a bill on the issue. "If the country prospers and moves forward, political parties will naturally endure," he said, stressing that national development should remain above political considerations. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was also present at the gathering, supported the proposal and said "One Nation, One Election" is a national issue linked to good governance, public welfare and optimal utilisation of resources. Dhami said India was the world's largest democracy and elections were an important part of its democratic system. However, the continuous cycle of elections affected governance and development activities, he said....