Vande Matram mandatory at government events, schools; centre issues guidlines
PTC News Desk:The Union Home Ministry has issued fresh guidelines mandating the rendition of all six stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram at government events and schools. The move is significantly likely to ignite a debate .
So far only the first two stanzas were played, while the remaining stanzas, which holds references to Goddess Durga, were omitted.
According to the new rules, the song should be played before the national anthem at schools, government functions, and official events, and must be rendered while standing.
The announcement comes months after Prime Minister Modi condemned former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru for removing significant stanzas of the song in 1937 to appease Muslim communities. PM Modi linked the Congress’s decision to adopt only the first two stanzas with the eventual Partition of India.
“The spirit of Vande Mataram illuminated the nation during the freedom struggle. But in 1937, significant verses of Vande Mataram — its very soul — were removed. The song was torn apart. This division sowed the seeds of Partition,” Modi said.
“Today’s generation must understand this history because the same divisive mindset continues to pose a challenge to the nation even today,” PM Modi said while reciting the full poem, including stanzas referencing Goddess Durga that were dropped in 1937.
Notably, the government is also observing a year-long commemoration of 150 years of the national song, originally written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee on November 7, 1875.
- With inputs from agencies
