Irrespective of their mother tongue, school students across Andhra Pradesh will have to sing the state song Maa Telugu talli from Monday after the state government made it compulsory. The rule applies to both English and Telugu medium schools, private and government-run. The order has come under criticism from school teachers who feel that it should not be made compulsory and that schools should be left to take their own decision.

Secondary Education Minister D Manikya Vara Prasad Rao imposed the rule after a meeting with district education officers on Thursday. “English and Telugu medium students will have to sing it during the morning assembly,” the minister said.

The trigger for the minister’s sudden decision was an incident at St. Joseph’s English Medium school in Mydakur in Kadapa last week where two students were punished for conversing in Telugu in the school premises. The two students were made to sit in the school with slates hung around their neck saying they will never speak in Telugu.

Congress and TDP leaders termed it as an insult to Telugu and demanded that steps should be taken to protect the language and promote it in schools. The song was composed by Tirupati-born Sankarambadi Sundarachari, a poet, and it was used in the movie Dheenabhandu.

President of State Teachers Union A Lakshman said that although the introduction of the song is welcome it is unfair to make it compulsory.