Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Kerala skips Vande Mataram on Independence Day despite central directive
India celebrates its Independence Day every year on August 15.
The central government asked every state to sing a famous song called 'Vande Mataram' at official events.
The government wanted people to sing all six parts of the song.
The leaders of the state of Kerala, who belong to a group called the United Democratic Alliance, decided not to sing the song at their big official event.
Congress leaders in Delhi and the states of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh did follow the government's request and sang the song.
Some people who disagreed with Kerala's decision said the state was following the wrong path.
Kerala's leaders said they would explain their choice during the Independence Day celebrations.
The news reports talk about who decided to sing the song and why the decision is causing disagreement.
Kerala's Congress-led United Democratic Alliance skipped Vande Mataram at the state's official Independence Day function on Saturday.
The move defied the central government's directive to sing the full six-stanza version of the national song as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
Congress headquarters in Delhi and official functions in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh complied with the directive.
Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha had forwarded the central government's communication to the state's general education and local self-government departments.
The Opposition accused the UDF of 'toeing the Sangh Parivar line,' while the state government said its stand would be made clear at the celebrations.
- Who
- Kerala's Congress-led United Democratic Alliance government, which skipped the song, and the central government, whose directive was forwarded by Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha.
- What
- The Kerala government skipped Vande Mataram at the state's official Independence Day function, defying the central government's directive to sing the full six-stanza version of the national song.
- When
- On Saturday, at the state's official Independence Day function.
- Where
- Kerala; the central directive also involved Congress headquarters in Delhi and official functions in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.
- Why
- The UDF chose not to follow the central directive; the Opposition accused it of 'toeing the Sangh Parivar line,' and the state government said its stand would be made clear at the celebrations.
Kerala UDF government
Central directive and Opposition
Kerala vs central Vande Mataram directive
Kerala UDF government
Kerala's UDF-led government skipped Vande Mataram at the official Independence Day function, saying its stand would be made clear at the celebrations.
Central directive and Opposition
The central government directed the full six-stanza version of Vande Mataram to be sung at official functions under its Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
Compliance by Congress-led governments
Kerala UDF government
Kerala was the Congress-allied state that chose not to follow the directive at its official function.
Central directive and Opposition
Congress headquarters in Delhi and official functions in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh complied with the directive.
Accusation over the Sangh Parivar line
Kerala UDF government
The UDF's state government defended its handling after forwarding the central communication to education and local self-government departments.
Central directive and Opposition
The Opposition accused the UDF of 'toeing the Sangh Parivar line' because of how it handled the central communication.
- Event
- State official Independence Day function
- Decision
- Skipped singing Vande Mataram
- Central directive
- Sing the full six-stanza version of Vande Mataram under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign
- Complied
- Congress headquarters in Delhi; official functions in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh
- Chief Secretary
- Bishwanath Sinha
- State government
- V D Satheesan government (Congress-led United Democratic Alliance)
- Accusation
- Opposition said the UDF was 'toeing the Sangh Parivar line'