‘Vande Mataram’ row becomes first major controversy for Kerala’s new government

 Kerala’s first Assembly session turns controversial after Congress govt skips full ‘Vande Mataram’; Governor flags protocol issue.

Controversy marked the first session of the newly elected Kerala Legislative Assembly Friday after the Congress government chose not to play the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ ahead of the Governor’s formal address to the House.

The official band played only two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’, disregarding the directive from the Lok Bhavan. The government decided to skip the full version of the national song after its rendition during the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony sparked controversy, with the Opposition LDF alleging Chief Minister V D Satheesan had surrendered before the Sangh Parivar.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar later expressed discontent over the issue and flagged a protocol violation. Addressing the media at Lok Bhavan, the Governor said: “Yesterday, we had insisted that whenever the governor is present, as per protocol, ‘Vande Mataram’ has to be sung fully. It was not sung, but only played by the band. Yet they could have played it fully. I have spoken to the assembly speaker. Let us see how things develop”.

While Opposition leader and CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan not only backed the abridged version of the song but also said it is not mandatory to stand when ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung, BJP legislator V Muraleedharan said the government’s stand was an insult to the Lok Bhavan as well as the governor.

“Satheesan has surrendered before CPI(M) and Jamaat-e-Islami. The national song has been insulted on its 150th anniversary. The government did not abide by the Union government’s directive that the entire version of ‘Vande Mataram’ should be sung during programmes attended by the governor. The government action shows that it has attested the argument of the CPI(M) and Jamaat-e-Islami that the national song is not compatible with secularism. Satheesan should clarify since when Congress has begun to distance itself from ‘Vande Mataram’,” he said.

The Congress-led UDF government, which had alleged a CPI(M)-BJP deal during the elections, had faced an embarrassing political situation during the swearing-in ceremony that began with the rendition of the full version of Vande Mataram.

The CPI(M) had alleged that singing the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was a wrong precedent. The party state secretariat had then stated it was inappropriate in a pluralistic and secular society.

When the issue snowballed into the first political controversy confronting the newly sworn-in Cabinet, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said: “We were not aware that the entire version of Vande Mataram would be rendered. The swearing-in ceremony was conducted by the Lok Bhavan and the instructions came from there. We realized it only when it was being sung during the function. It was inappropriate to interrupt midway”.

The previous CPI(M) regime had a running controversy with the present governor over the use of the Bharat Mata portrait with a saffron flag at various functions attended by the governor at the Lok Bhavan and outside.

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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Controversy marked the first session of the newly elected Kerala Legislative Assembly Friday after the Congress government chose not to play the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ ahead of the Governor’s formal address to the House.

The official band played only two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’, disregarding the directive from the Lok Bhavan. The government decided to skip the full version of the national song after its rendition during the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony sparked controversy, with the Opposition LDF alleging Chief Minister V D Satheesan had surrendered before the Sangh Parivar.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar later expressed discontent over the issue and flagged a protocol violation. Addressing the media at Lok Bhavan, the Governor said: “Yesterday, we had insisted that whenever the governor is present, as per protocol, ‘Vande Mataram’ has to be sung fully. It was not sung, but only played by the band. Yet they could have played it fully. I have spoken to the assembly speaker. Let us see how things develop”.

While Opposition leader and CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan not only backed the abridged version of the song but also said it is not mandatory to stand when ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung, BJP legislator V Muraleedharan said the government’s stand was an insult to the Lok Bhavan as well as the governor.

“Satheesan has surrendered before CPI(M) and Jamaat-e-Islami. The national song has been insulted on its 150th anniversary. The government did not abide by the Union government’s directive that the entire version of ‘Vande Mataram’ should be sung during programmes attended by the governor. The government action shows that it has attested the argument of the CPI(M) and Jamaat-e-Islami that the national song is not compatible with secularism. Satheesan should clarify since when Congress has begun to distance itself from ‘Vande Mataram’,” he said.

The Congress-led UDF government, which had alleged a CPI(M)-BJP deal during the elections, had faced an embarrassing political situation during the swearing-in ceremony that began with the rendition of the full version of Vande Mataram.

The CPI(M) had alleged that singing the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was a wrong precedent. The party state secretariat had then stated it was inappropriate in a pluralistic and secular society.

When the issue snowballed into the first political controversy confronting the newly sworn-in Cabinet, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said: “We were not aware that the entire version of Vande Mataram would be rendered. The swearing-in ceremony was conducted by the Lok Bhavan and the instructions came from there. We realized it only when it was being sung during the function. It was inappropriate to interrupt midway”.

The previous CPI(M) regime had a running controversy with the present governor over the use of the Bharat Mata portrait with a saffron flag at various functions attended by the governor at the Lok Bhavan and outside.