Canberra, Oct 2 (ANI): Thousands of schoolchildren in Australia are being forced to sing an alternative version of the national anthem that installs "Christ" as the nation's head of state and removes any reference to the Southern Cross.
According to Daily Telegraph, some 50 Christian schools of mixed denominations have replaced the second verse of Advance Australia Fair with the lyrics, which begin, "With Christ our head and cornerstone, we'll build our nation's might", for school assembly renditions.
Sri Lankan immigrant Ruth Ponniah, 75, penned the contentious version 23 years ago, who now lives in Sydney, as part of her local church's bicentennial celebrations.
Federal Education Minister Peter Garrett has admonished the unauthorised words, saying that under national protocols the anthem should not be modified and that the alternative verse had no place in the state's educational institutions, regardless of their religious affiliations.
"Alternative words should not be used and schools should be teaching students to sing the two authorised verses," he said.
But the Australian Parents Council (APC), representing the parents of independent school students, wants Garrett to go further and ban Ponniah's lyrics.
Federation of Parents and Citizens' Association of NSW president Helen Walton backed the APC push, saying it was "disrespectful" of schools to endorse a different version of the anthem.
"The national anthem is the national anthem of all Australians regardless of religion," Walton said. (ANI)
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