Vande Mataram Row Again in Karnataka Assembly

Does singing of all the stanzas of affect the uniformity, dignity and appropriate protocol? This issue has once again become a hot topic of discussion in Karnataka on Monday as the Assembly proceedings began with the singing of only two stanzas of Vande Mataram.

The government quoted its earlier order, saying that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram should be sung at state government programmes, except events attended by the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister or Governor, where the full version is to be sung. The government said the decision was intended to maintain uniformity, dignity and appropriate protocol for the National Song.

Though the Parliament, after discussion, had passed the bill amending the rules regarding singing of Vande Mataram and made it mandatory that the national song be sung in full, the Congress party, which failed to stall the passing of the bill, has decided that only the first two stanzas would be sung as decided by the party’s working committee in 1937.

In tune with this, the recording of Vande Mataram was stopped after the first two stanzas. This led to furore from the opposition BJP members, who raised slogans and continued with full singing of the national song. Similar scenes were witnessed in the as well.

Subsequently, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar started paying tribute to former MLA R B Shiriyannavar who died on August 27.

Agitated over the issue, the BJP MLAs raised slogans and started reciting the full version of Vande Mataram.

This repeated action of the Congress party raises legal and administrative questions: Whether a state government can impose a two-stanza protocol when Union government guidelines prescribe the official version is now also before the . A PIL has been filed in the Karnataka High Court challenging the state’s September 8 order, alleging that the Karnataka government’s restriction goes against the directions issued by the Union Home Ministry regarding the official singing of all the six stanzas.

The Karnataka government had convened a special three-day session to discuss the drought situation in the state and the Kasturirangan Committee report on the Western Ghats, but the Vande Mataram issue became an immediate point of confrontation between the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) Opposition.

Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra demanded that the Congress government withdraw the decision and allow all six stanzas to be sung. He has accused the government of resorting to such acts for appeasement of minority votes. BJP MLA S.R. Vishwanath said the Chief Minister had taken this decision under pressure from the Congress high command.

Defending the government’s decision, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge argued that the decision is consistent with the Congress’s historical position dating back to 1937. He questioned whether the BJP’s demand for the full version should override the position taken by leaders associated with the freedom movement. The BJP questioned him, saying whether anyone can override the decision of the Parliament

Kharge also challenged BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and Opposition leader R Ashoka to sing the complete version from memory without using a paper or teleprompter, saying he would resign if they succeeded.

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has also defended the government’s position. After BJP MLA S.N. Channabasappa objected to the two-stanza rendition at a government programme, Shivakumar said the government would continue with the Congress’s traditional position and accused the MLA of coming to the event for political purposes.

So, the dispute now has three layers: the BJP says the full version should be respected and sung; restricting it to two stanzas is unacceptable and, according to BJP leaders, politically motivated. The Congress says their stand was historically accepted.

Whether a state government can impose a two-stanza protocol when Union government guidelines prescribe the official version is what the Karnataka High Court has to decide.