Adelbert Nongrum, the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing North Shillong, has formally protested against the new guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs that mandate the full six-stanza version of “Vande Mataram” to be performed at all governmental functions, official events, and school assemblies. This directive, released last month, represents a departure from the previous practice of only singing the first two stanzas of the national song, which was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
An order issued on February 6 by the Home Ministry now designates the full six stanzas as the “official version,” establishing that the complete rendition of the song must last 3 minutes and 10 seconds. The instructions include specific protocols and occasions for its performance, aligning with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the song’s inception.
After a meeting with Chief Secretary Shakil P. Ahammed, Nongrum explained that he has urged the state government to vehemently oppose the Ministry’s directives circulated to various departments within the Meghalaya government, which stipulate strict adherence to the full version during official functions. He clarified, “I want to clearly state that I am not against the national song Vande Mataram. But I am totally against the full-length version of the national song and I fully subscribe to the first two stanzas.”
In his written protest, Nongrum referenced that the first two stanzas, originally composed in Sanskrit, were officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India in 1950. He emphasized that the Constitution of India does not explicitly designate a national song. Furthermore, he raised concerns that the enforcement of the complete version may violate Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects the freedom of religion for citizens.
Citing his religious beliefs, Nongrum invoked the first of the Ten Commandments, asserting, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not have any strange God before me.” He implored the government through the Chief Secretary to amend the instructions, accordingly, advocating for a policy that requires only the first two stanzas of “Vande Mataram” to be played at official events in the state.
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