Nagaland MLA questions MHA directive on singing of Vande Mataram

A legislator in Nagaland has objected to the compulsory singing of Vande Mataram, calling for an urgent review of a recent directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs in light of the State’s religious composition and Constitutional protections.

Participating in the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s address in the 60-member Assembly on Tuesday (March 3, 2026), MLA Tseilhoutuo Rhütso raised what he described as “Constitutional and conscientious concerns” arising from the Ministry’s January 28 notification mandating the singing or playing of the National Song across States and Union Territories.

Dr. Rhütso represents the National People’s Party, a member of the National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, from the Kohima Town constituency.

Acknowledging the historical and emotional significance of Vande Mataram in India’s freedom struggle, he questioned the enforceability of the directive in Nagaland, a predominantly Christian State protected under special constitutional provisions.

Dr. Rhütso argued that making the National Song mandatory risks conflating patriotism with uniformity, potentially infringing Articles 25 and 29 of the Constitution of India, which guarantee freedom of religion and protection of cultural rights.

He also cited Article 371A, which protects Nagaland’s religious and customary practices. He argued that mandatory recitation, particularly if extended to all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, would be incompatible with the conscience of the Christian-majority population.

The MLA urged the State government to review the directive in consultation with the Assembly, ensuring that national unity remains “voluntary and respectful of conscience, not imposed by circular.”

In February, the Naga Students’ Federation opposed the Ministry’s notification mandating that the “Indian National Song, Vande Mataram, be played or sung before the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana” at school assemblies.

“While we are aware of the constitutional framework of the Indian state, including Article 51A(a), we categorically assert that no authority can compel cultural or ideological conformity upon the Naga homeland in a manner that disregards our unique history and identity,” the students’ body said.

Vande Mataram was composed between 1870 and 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in his 1882 novel Anandamath. The poem consists of six stanzas, but only the first two, devoid of overt religious imagery, were endorsed in 1937 by leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore.

On January 24, 1950, the first two stanzas were adopted as the National Song, while Jana Gana Mana was adopted as the National Anthem.