Thiruvananthapuram: A controversy broke out in Kerala after the police band skipped playing the full version of Vande Mataram at the opening session of the 16th Kerala Assembly on Friday.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar expressed displeasure over the government's decision to cut short the National Song, stating that Lok Bhavan had insisted it be sung in full rather than played by the band. He said his office had taken up the matter with Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, adding, "Let's see how things develop."
Sources revealed the government had instructed the police to play only the initial stanzas, which the Congress and UDF consider secular, civic, and inclusive, while claiming the remaining verses carry a Hindu religious tone that could risk national unity.
The ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Opposition CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), usually at political loggerheads, seemed to agree on this issue. Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan stated that their party and the UDF stood by a secular ideology, with a clear stance that has been reiterated before.
Satheesan clarified that singing the Vande Mataram was not mandatory, as it was not part of any law but merely a guideline. "We are following the Congress's decisions on the matter. If the Governor has any concerns, I will address them with him," he said at a press conference.
Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan supported the state government's choice not to play or sing the National Song in full. He stated there was no need to perform the entire Vande Mataram, as it had been clarified earlier that singing or playing the first two couplets was sufficient, which was done in the House.
According to him, performing it in full aligned with the RSS agenda, and Kerala was under no obligation to follow it. He remarked that it was wrong to play it in full during the CM and Cabinet's swearing-in ceremony and felt the state government should have taken a stricter stance on the matter since then. "This is the correct stand," said the CPM politburo member and former chief minister.
BJP leader V. Muraleedharan, MLA, stated that there was a Central government directive requiring Vande Mataram to be sung in full at events attended by the Governor, which the Kerala Assembly violated. He alleged that the UDF government was yielding to pressure from Jamaat-e-Islami and the CPM. Earlier, the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the swearing-in ceremony of the UDF Cabinet had sparked a major controversy, with both the UDF and LDF objecting to the Lok Bhavan's directive, arguing that it was inappropriate in a secular and pluralistic society.