Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar confirmed that there was a dispute over singing Vande Mataram in full during the Assembly’s opening session. The Left supported the tradition of singing a shortened version, while the Governor insisted on the full rendition. The controversy arose when the Kerala Police band played only a part of Vande Mataram despite instructions for the full rendition.
The disagreement became a significant political issue for the new UDF government in Kerala. BJP legislator V. Muraleedharan criticized the government for not singing the full song, accusing them of disrespecting the Governor and the national song. He questioned the Congress’ stance on a song deeply linked to India’s freedom movement.
Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan defended the existing practice, stating that the demand for the full rendition aligned with the RSS’s agenda. He emphasized that Kerala should maintain its current approach. The Governor’s recent comments indicate that the matter is far from settled, with Lok Bhavan likely to continue pursuing the issue.
With the BJP, Left, and UDF government taking different stands, the Vande Mataram controversy has become the first ideological battle of Kerala’s new political era.
