Ahmedabad, Sep 1 (IANS) Shying away from controversy, the Gujarat government here Friday decided not to make the singing of the national song, Vande Mataram, compulsory for madrassas.

An official directive issued here Friday said all students of the government-run and government-aided educational institutions and government departments should "collectively and without fail" participate in singing the national song Sep 7.

The directive, however, does not make a mention of self-aided institutions, including madrassas.

The order of the Narendra Modi government comes in response to the Union Human Resource Development Ministry's order last month making the recitation of Vande Mataram mandatory on Sep 7 to mark the centenary of its adoption as national song.

The central ministry, however, had later made the singing voluntary following opposition from a section of Muslims.