Only the National Anthem at state ceremonies on August 15: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Schools across Kerala will not include Vande Mataram in their Independence Day celebrations tomorrow.
A circular from the state protocol department instructs that only the national anthem be sung, and the General Education Department has relayed this to schools.
Even at official events attended by the Chief Minister and other ministers, the song will be left out. The government has stated that neither schools nor state ceremonies will feature it.
The dispute began with a circular from the Chief Secretary, following a directive from the Union Ministry of Culture, requiring that Vande Mataram be sung in its entirety. Although the circular remains in place, the state government has chosen to restrict performances to the national anthem.
At a press conference on Thursday, the Chief Minister said the state government has its own stance on the issue, which will be made clear on Independence Day.
The Chief Minister said the Chief Secretary's directions were related to the Centre's Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. The Parliament has now passed a Bill making intentional insult to Vande Mataram a punishable offence with a jail term up to three years. It mandates that the song be sung in full. The President has also given assent to the Act.
“The Congress-led UDF has a clear stand on the issue. We will act only as per that," the CM said.
The Opposition LDF had accused the Congress-led UDF government in Kerala of toeing the Sangh Parivar line after the Chief Secretary's directive to the government departments to ensure the recital of Vande Mataram in its entirety during the Independence Day celebrations.
Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan said that singing the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram was fine, but the full song went against the secular spirit of the country, a view also held by the Constituent Assembly. The later stanzas mention deities from a specific religion.
