The Union home minister has directed that all six stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram be sung first when it is played together with the national anthem Jana Gana Mana, the Hindustan Times reported.
Only the first two stanzas of the song have been played at official functions so far. The remaining stanzas, which invoke Hindu goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, have been omitted.
In October 1937, the Congress Working Committee had passed a resolution adopting the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram as the national song. The Bharatiya Janata Party has long alleged that the Congress had agreed to drop the four stanzas to “appease Muslims”.
In December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Congress in Parliament, alleging that Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, had supported Muhammad Ali Jinnah in opposing Vande Mataram when the resolution was adopted because it could “irritate Muslims”.
In its January 28 order, the home ministry laid down protocols for singing the national song during official functions such as the arrival of the president at formal events, unfurling of the national flag and speeches of governors. The details about the order became public on Wednesday.
At such events, all six stanzas of Vande Mataram are to be sung, the duration of the song to be 3 minutes and 10 seconds.
In schools, morning assemblies have been directed to include group singing of the national song, The Times of India reported.
The persons gathered where the national song is sung will need to stand in attention, according to the directive.
However, the audience is not expected to stand in attention with the national song is played as part of a newsreel or documentary as doing so “is bound to interrupt the exhibition of the film and would create disorder and confusion rather than add to the dignity of the national song”, PTI quoted the order has having said.
The Union government is commemorating the 150th year of Vande Mataram.
The ministry said that it encourages mass singing of the official version of Vande Mataram on occasions such as the unfurling of the national flag, on cultural occasions or ceremonies other than parades, and on the arrival of the president at any government or public function.
A Press Information Bureau note issued on November 6 to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram stated that the Constituent Assembly had adopted Jana Gana Mana as the national anthem and Vande Mataram as the national song.
The note quoted Rajendra Prasad, the first president, as having told the Assembly in January 1950 that Vande Mataram, because of its role in the freedom movement, “shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it”.
However, the Constitution mentions only the national anthem, not Vande Mataram.
Also read: Vande Mataram debate: The novel in which the poem appears is a cry for freedom – but from whom?
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