‘Not in This Lifetime’: Kerala Leaders Oppose Full Rendition of Vande Mataram

Kerala will continue its existing practice of singing only the first two couplets of Vande Mataram at state government programmes, despite a recent directive from the Centre calling for the full rendition of the national song.

Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Sunday said the state would follow its established protocol at government events. Responding to a letter issued by Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha, Muraleedharan said the Chief Secretary was duty-bound to circulate directions received from the Centre, but Kerala would not adopt the revised protocol.

“In all state government programmes only the first two couplets were sung in the past, and that practice will continue even now,” Muraleedharan said.

Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan also opposed the full rendition, saying Vande Mataram would not be sung in its entirety in Kerala. Speaking to a television channel, he said he was unaware of any specific instruction from the Chief Secretary but asserted that the existing practice would continue.

The controversy follows an August 6 communication from Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha regarding the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, scheduled from August 9 to 17. The letter said the 2026 campaign had been integrated with the third phase of the nationwide commemoration marking 150 years of Vande Mataram.

It stated that physical celebrations would combine collective singing of Vande Mataram with the hoisting or display of the National Flag. It also said the Government of India’s instructions on the recitation of Vande Mataram would be followed in full.

Muraleedharan, however, said Kerala would maintain its earlier protocol for state government programmes. He noted that the full rendition was performed during the recent oath-taking ceremony because the Governor was present, requiring the adoption of central government protocol.

The opposition CPI(M) has also criticised the directive and demanded its withdrawal, alleging that the state government was yielding to what it described as an RSS agenda.