Panaji Jan 23 PTI Objecting to the Centres decision of dropping one of Mahatma Gandhis favourite hymns Abide with me from this years Beating Retreat ceremony senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the governments move has hurt the thinking and sensitive people Abide with me written by Scottish Anglican poet and hymnologist Henry Francis Lyte in 1847 had been part of the Beating Retreat ceremony since 1950 The Indian Army announced on Saturday that it has been dropped from this years ceremony For this years ceremony the hymn has been replaced by the popular patriotic song Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon which was written by Kavi Pradeep to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by Indian soldiers during the 1962 Indo-China war Talking to reporters in Goa Chidambaram said Abide with me is an old hymn that dates back to 1847 It was Mahatma Gandhis favourite hymn Ever since we became a republic in 1950 the ceremony called Beating the Retreat on the last of the Republic Day celebrations would always end with the march to the tune of Abide with me he said It is very sad that an old Christian hymn which is no longer a Christian hymn but a secular hymn has been dropped from the Republic Day parade he said The former Union minister said it was sad that the government has decided to abandon the hymn in the 75th year of Indias Independence It has hurt a lot of thinking and sensitive people I hope that better sense will prevail and on the Republic Day it will be restored on which our troupe will march the Congress veteran said PTI RPS NP NP

New Delhi [India], January 23 (ANI): After "Abide With Me", one of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymns, was been dropped from this year's Beating Retreat ceremony, the government sources on Sunday clarified that the "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" has touching lyrics that highlights the "Unity in Diversity" aspect of the Indian soldiers and has a very mesmerizing and solemn impact.

New Delhi [India], January 22 (ANI): The Defence Ministry has included the patriotic song 'Aey Mere Watan ke Logo' in the Beating Retreat ceremony in an effort to make the event more Indian.