Row in Kerala over full 'Vande Mataram' recital at Chief Minister’s swearing-in
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Thiruvananthapuram: A political row has broken out in Kerala over the recital of the full version of Vande Mataram during the swearing-in ceremony of the new United Democratic Front (UDF) cabinet.
Senior CPI(M) leader and former minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas raised concerns over the protocol, sparking a sharp counter-attack from the BJP.
In a Facebook post congratulating the newly sworn-in Congress Chief Minister, V.D. Satheesan, Mr Riyas pointed out that official protocol dictates only the first two couplets of the national song should be sung.
He argued that the verses beyond the first two stanzas have historically been contentious and have raised concerns regarding secularism and pluralism.
"Attempts to make Vande Mataram mandatory in various states before and after Independence have been controversial," Mr Riyas wrote. He added that civil rights activists have previously argued that forcing the full recital could infringe upon constitutional freedoms.
He also cited Supreme Court observations to emphasise that central directives regarding the song remain advisory rather than mandatory, meaning there is no penalty for non-compliance. Mr Riyas urged the new administration to adopt approaches more closely aligned with public sentiment and secular values.
The comments drew fierce criticism from BJP MLA V. Muraleedharan, who questioned which parts of the national song the Left leader found problematic.
"Is there anything in the song that is seditious or challenges national integrity? How does Vande Mataram, chosen as our national song by the Constituent Assembly, become unconstitutional? Which part of it challenges the secularism of the country?" Mr Muraleedharan asked.
He further demanded a clarification from CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan on whether Mr Riyas's comments reflected the party's official position.
(Inputs from PTI)