Vande Mataram: National Song and the Principle of Unity in Diversity

26 Sep 2026

Tags: History   Modern History   Historical issues

Source: The Hindu

Context: The debate concerns the official rendition and public singing of Vande Mataram, particularly the proposal to use all six stanzas in public functions.

• The issue involves a broader question of national symbols, freedom of expression, religious diversity and the limits of state authority.

Historical Background of Vande Mataram

• Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, played an important role in mobilising people during the freedom struggle and became an important symbol of Indian nationalism.
• In 1937, the Congress Working Committee decided that only the first two stanzas should be sung at national gatherings because the later stanzas contain references portraying the motherland through Hindu religious imagery.
• This arrangement sought to retain the song's nationalist significance while making its public rendition more acceptable across India's religious communities.

National Anthem and National Song

• On 24 January 1950, Jana Gana Mana was adopted as India's National Anthem.
• President of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, stated that Vande Mataram, although not constitutionally designated as the National Song, would be honoured equally with the National Anthem.
• The Constitution does not explicitly mention a "National Song"; the status of Vande Mataram therefore derives from constitutional practice and government recognition rather than an express constitutional provision.
• The first two stanzas subsequently became the conventionally accepted version for public occasions and were popularised through performances by artists such as Lata Mangeshkar and A.R. Rahman.

Recent Government Measures

• Following the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in 2025, the Union government has sought greater emphasis on the rendition of the complete six-stanza version.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued directions and circulars in 2026 prescribing an official version and arrangements for public rendition.
• The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026 extended the existing legal protection relating to the National Anthem to the National Song.
• The amended provision extends Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which penalises intentional prevention of the singing of the National Anthem or disturbance of an assembly engaged in such singing, to the National Song.
• The amendment does not expressly require every person to sing the National Song or specify that all six stanzas must be sung; concerns arise from its interaction with the MHA's executive directions.

Issue of Individual Freedom and Compulsion

• The central constitutional question is whether respect for a national symbol can be converted into a legal obligation to participate in its rendition.
• A petition by T.M. Krishna before the Supreme Court argues that the combination of the amended law and MHA directions effectively creates such compulsion.
• The MHA directions reportedly prescribe the six-stanza version, mass singing at public functions and placement of the National Song before the National Anthem.
• The debate therefore involves balancing national symbols and civic unity with freedom of conscience and individual choice.

Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala (1986)

• In Bijoe Emmanuel, the Supreme Court protected students who respectfully stood during the National Anthem but did not sing it because of their religious beliefs.
• The Court held that there was no law obligating individuals to sing the National Anthem, provided they showed due respect and did not intentionally prevent its singing.
• The judgment established that mere non-participation is not equivalent to disruption or insult.
• It also emphasised that executive instructions cannot override or curtail fundamental rights without adequate legal authority.

Constitutional Dimensions

• Article 19(1)(a) protects freedom of speech and expression, while Article 25 protects freedom of conscience and freedom to profess, practise and propagate religion, subject to constitutional limitations.
• Article 51A(a) makes it a fundamental duty of citizens to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.
• The Constitution therefore creates a distinction between respect for national symbols and an independently enforceable obligation to participate in their rendition.
• The issue also illustrates the constitutional principle of unity in diversity, where national identity is expected to accommodate India's religious and cultural pluralism.