Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Kerala Schools to Skip Vande Mataram on Independence Day
In India, people celebrate Independence Day every year.
There is a famous song called Vande Mataram that many want to sing on this day.
The national government asked everyone to sing the whole song.
But the state government of Kerala decided its schools will not sing it this year.
Instead, they will sing only the national anthem, another special song.
Some people think singing the whole song is unfair because parts of it talk about gods of one religion.
They say that goes against India's rule of treating all religions equally.
The leader of the opposition in Kerala agrees that only the first part of the song should be sung.
The Chief Minister of Kerala said the state will announce its own decision on Independence Day.
Schools across Kerala will not include Vande Mataram in Independence Day celebrations, with only the national anthem to be sung.
The state protocol department's circular, relayed by the General Education Department, also removes the song from official events involving the Chief Minister.
The dispute stems from a Union Ministry of Culture directive and a Chief Secretary's circular requiring the song to be sung in full under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
Parliament has passed a Bill, with presidential assent, making intentional insult to Vande Mataram punishable by up to three years in jail.
Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan called the full song contrary to the secular spirit, and the Chief Minister said the state's stance will be made clear on Independence Day.
- Who
- Kerala's Congress-led UDF government, the Chief Minister, Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, and the Union Ministry of Culture.
- What
- Schools and state ceremonies in Kerala will feature only the national anthem, excluding Vande Mataram, despite a central directive to sing it in full.
- When
- Independence Day celebrations tomorrow, following a press conference on Thursday.
- Where
- Kerala, India.
- Why
- The state government has its own stance on the issue; opponents say the full song's later stanzas mention deities of a specific religion and undermine the secular spirit.
Kerala Government & LDF
Union Government & Culture Ministry
Singing Vande Mataram in Full
Kerala Government & LDF
The later stanzas mention deities from a specific religion and go against the country's secular spirit; only the first two stanzas are acceptable.
Union Government & Culture Ministry
The song must be sung in its entirety as required by the Union Ministry of Culture directive and the Chief Secretary's circular.
Authority Over the National Song
Kerala Government & LDF
The state has its own stance and will act only as per the Congress-led UDF's stand, restricting ceremonies to the national anthem.
Union Government & Culture Ministry
Parliament has mandated the full song and made intentional insult to it a punishable offence with a jail term up to three years.
- State
- Kerala, India
- Event
- Independence Day celebrations
- Decision
- Sing only the national anthem; skip Vande Mataram
- Origin of dispute
- Union Ministry of Culture directive and Chief Secretary's circular
- Related campaign
- Har Ghar Tiranga
- New law
- Intentional insult to Vande Mataram punishable with up to 3 years' jail
- Opposition view
- Full song contradicts secular spirit; first two stanzas acceptable
- State government view
- To be announced on Independence Day