Kerala orders full rendition of Vande Mataram at Independence Day
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Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has directed that the national song Vande Mataram be sung in full at Independence Day celebrations across the state, following the Centre’s decision to make its complete rendition mandatory.
The Chief Secretary issued instructions to the Local Self-Government Department Secretary based on the Centre’s latest guidelines. The prescribed order is to sing the state song first, followed by Vande Mataram and then the national anthem. Where there is no state song, Vande Mataram should precede the national anthem.
The Centre has directed that all six stanzas of the original Vande Mataram composition be rendered in full. The official duration prescribed for the national song is three minutes and 10 seconds, with instructions to ensure that its words and notation are followed correctly. The Union Home Ministry has circulated the guidelines to states and instructed them to pass them on to institutions under their jurisdiction.
The move has triggered a political dispute in Kerala, with the Congress national leadership maintaining that Vande Mataram need not be sung in its entirety. The issue is particularly contentious after the song was performed in full at the swearing-in ceremony of the earlier UDF-led V.D. Satheesan ministry. Satheesan subsequently said that the Lok Bhavan organised the ceremony and that the government was not responsible, after the rendition sparked controversy.
Education Minister N. Shamsuddeen sought to distance the state government from the decision, saying the Chief Secretary was merely forwarding instructions received from the Governor and Lok Bhavan in accordance with the new rules.
He maintained that the full-rendition order was not a fresh decision independently taken by the Kerala government.