‘Vande Mataram’ row turns into first main controversy for Kerala’s new authorities | India Information
3 min learnThiruvananthapuramMight 29, 2026 02:31 PM IST
Controversy marked the primary session of the newly elected Kerala Legislative Meeting Friday after the Congress authorities chose to not play the complete model of ‘Vande Mataram’ forward of the Governor’s formal handle to the Home.
The official band performed solely two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’, disregarding the directive from the Lok Bhavan. The federal government determined to skip the complete model of the nationwide track after its rendition through the Cupboard swearing-in ceremony sparked controversy, with the Opposition LDF alleging Chief Minister V D Satheesan had surrendered earlier than the Sangh Parivar.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar later expressed discontent over the difficulty and flagged a protocol violation. Addressing the media at Lok Bhavan, the Governor mentioned: “Yesterday, we had insisted that each time the governor is current, as per protocol, ‘Vande Mataram’ needs to be sung totally. It was not sung, however solely performed by the band. But they might have performed it totally. I’ve spoken to the meeting speaker. Allow us to see how issues develop”.
Whereas Opposition chief and CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan not solely backed the abridged model of the track but additionally mentioned it’s not necessary to face when ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung, BJP legislator V Muraleedharan mentioned the federal government’s stand was an insult to the Lok Bhavan in addition to the governor.
“Satheesan has surrendered earlier than CPI(M) and Jamaat-e-Islami. The nationwide track has been insulted on its a hundred and fiftieth anniversary. The federal government didn’t abide by the Union authorities’s directive that the complete model of ‘Vande Mataram’ must be sung throughout programmes attended by the governor. The federal government motion reveals that it has attested the argument of the CPI(M) and Jamaat-e-Islami that the nationwide track just isn’t suitable with secularism. Satheesan ought to make clear since when Congress has begun to distance itself from ‘Vande Mataram’,” he mentioned.
The Congress-led UDF authorities, which had alleged a CPI(M)-BJP deal through the elections, had confronted an embarrassing political state of affairs through the swearing-in ceremony that started with the rendition of the complete model of Vande Mataram.
The CPI(M) had alleged that singing the complete model of ‘Vande Mataram’ was a flawed precedent. The celebration state secretariat had then acknowledged it was inappropriate in a pluralistic and secular society.
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When the difficulty snowballed into the primary political controversy confronting the newly sworn-in Cupboard, Chief Minister V D Satheesan mentioned: “We weren’t conscious that the complete model of Vande Mataram could be rendered. The swearing-in ceremony was carried out by the Lok Bhavan and the directions got here from there. We realized it solely when it was being sung through the perform. It was inappropriate to interrupt halfway”.
The earlier CPI(M) regime had a operating controversy with the current governor over using the Bharat Mata portrait with a saffron flag at numerous features attended by the governor on the Lok Bhavan and out of doors.
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