New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued to change its tune on the issue of making the singing of "Vande Mataram" compulsory in schools, even as its senior leader L.K. Advani Friday said there should not be any compromise on the national song.

Speaking at a book release function at the party headquarters here, the former BJP chief said: "There should be no compromising attitude on the national song and showing respect to national symbols cannot be made optional."

In the light of the separatist tendencies existing in the country, one could not afford to compromise on the issue of singing of the national song, Advani said.

"Vande Mataram" has become a major political issue after a section of Muslims objected to its singing on Sep 7 in schools to mark the centenary of the song's recitation at the Indian National Congress' Calcutta Session, where it was adapted as the national song.

The BJP at first called for making the singing at educational institutions compulsory but soon changed its stance.

Advani's comments are in contrast to what BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad had said two days ago.

"The question is not of making the singing mandatory but that of showing respect to Vande Mataram as a vibrant national symbol," Prasad had said.

A senior party leader said: "This (Prasad's statement) had indicated softening of the party's stand on this issue. The strategy was not to let the issue snowball into a controversy which had arisen out of party chief Rajnath Singh's strong stance," a senior BJP leader said.

Prasad had refused to make any commitment whether the governments in the BJP-ruled states would make singing of the national song compulsory.

The party has cancelled the programme announced earlier in which its minority cell members were to sing "Vande Mataram".