'Vande Mataram' sung at Vijay's swearing-in; Rahul Gandhi present
What's the story
The full version of the national song Vande Mataram was sung before the national anthem at TVK chief C Joseph Vijay's swearing-in ceremony in Chennai. The event took place on Sunday and was attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The move comes months after the Union Home Ministry's January directive mandating the performance of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram at official functions, a departure from singing just two stanzas adopted by the Constituent Assembly in 1950.
Controversial directive
'Vande Mataram' not sung at Bengal CM Adhikari's swearing-in
The performance of Vande Mataram was not observed at the swearing-in ceremony of Suvendu Adhikari as West Bengal Chief Minister on Saturday. This was despite the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. The Centre is celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram, which was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882 and became a rallying cry during India's freedom struggle against British rule.
Legal amendment
Union Cabinet amends Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act
The Union Cabinet has also amended the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, giving Vande Mataram the same legal protection as the national anthem. The move has been criticized by opposition parties. The Congress party has opposed the directive, saying it goes against a decision taken in 1937 on Rabindranath Tagore's advice to respect community sentiments.
Political clash
Congress accused of 'pandering to communal agenda'
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had said that it was "deeply ironic that those who today claim to be the guardians of nationalism have never sung Vande Mataram..." The BJP, on its part, has accused the Congress of "pandering to a communal agenda" in 1937 by adopting a shorter version of the song.