Archive · 19 Sep 2026
BJP MLA Again Seeks Full Vande Mataram Recital
BJP MLA S N Channabasappa wants all six stanzas of Vande Mataram to be sung at government events.
At a programme in Thirthahalli, only two stanzas were sung before the state anthem.
Channabasappa asked Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to permit the complete song.
Some people at the event disagreed with him and asked him to sit down.
He briefly spoke with the chief minister afterward.
He still took part in the rest of the programme.
A few days earlier, he had left another government event over the same issue.
Karnataka’s government has ordered that only two stanzas normally be sung at its programmes.
A Union Home Ministry directive says all six stanzas should be sung before the national anthem when both are played together.
BJP MLA S N Channabasappa again asked Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to allow the full Vande Mataram to be sung.
The request came after two stanzas were followed by the Karnataka state anthem at an event in Thirthahalli.
Some attendees objected, while people on stage asked Channabasappa to return to his seat.
Channabasappa later spoke briefly with Shivakumar and participated in the event.
Karnataka’s government permits two stanzas at most official programmes, while a Union directive covers all six stanzas when the national song and anthem are played together.
- Who
- BJP MLA S N Channabasappa and Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar were central to the incident.
- What
- Channabasappa renewed his request that the full Vande Mataram be sung at government programmes.
- When
- The latest incident was reported on September 19, after Channabasappa’s earlier walkout on September 16.
- Where
- The incident occurred during an event in Thirthahalli, in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district.
- Why
- Channabasappa objected to the government’s policy of singing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram at most official programmes.
Supporters of Full Recital
Supporters of Two-Stanza Policy
How much of the song should be sung
Supporters of Full Recital
S N Channabasappa argues that the full Vande Mataram should be recited and says limiting it to two stanzas hurts people’s sentiments.
Supporters of Two-Stanza Policy
The Karnataka government has ordered that only the first two stanzas be sung at most of its programmes, with stated exceptions for events attended by senior constitutional authorities.
Political and official guidance
Supporters of Full Recital
The Union Home Ministry’s January directive says all six stanzas should be sung before the national anthem when both are played together.
Supporters of Two-Stanza Policy
The Congress Working Committee decided to follow its 1937 resolution calling for only two stanzas at party events, while Karnataka applies its own rule to most government programmes.
- Latest request
- S N Channabasappa asked for the full Vande Mataram to be recited.
- Event
- An interaction on the Kasturirangan report concerning Western Ghats eco-sensitive zones.
- Location
- Thirthahalli, Shivamogga district, Karnataka.
- State policy
- Only the first two stanzas are to be sung at Karnataka government programmes, except those attended by the president, vice-president, prime minister or governor.
- Union directive
- The Union Home Ministry directed that all six stanzas be sung before Jana Gana Mana when both are played together.
- Earlier protest
- Channabasappa walked out of a September 16 government programme over the same issue.
- Response at event
- Some attendees objected, and people on stage asked him to return to his seat; he later participated in the event.