Prior to the celebration of 73rd Republic Day, the Defence Ministry had decided to drop the Christian hymn ‘Abide by Me’ to be played at the Beating Retreat ceremony on 29th January.
A day after relocating the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate to the national war memorial, the government decided to drop 'Abide with Me', the Christian hymn that marks the conclusion of the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29 at the end of Republic Day festivities.
The denial of Abide With Me’s universality, Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymn, comes from a group that undermines him. The labelling of it as a “colonial” hymn is another attempt at vilification of Indian Christians, writes Anna M.M. Vetticad.