The swearing in of UDF ministry headed by V. D. Satheesan, not only marked the change of political complexion of the government in Keralam, but also a welcome change in the approach to the National Song Vande Mataram among the non-BJP political parties in the State. It was really refreshing to watch Congressmen, Communists and significantly even Muslim Leaguers stand up in reverence when Vande Mataram was being sung just ahead of the oath taking by the Chief Minister designate and his colleagues in the new cabinet.
This was the maiden official function in Keralam that Vande Mataram is sung, that too in toto. Said a senior media person and seasoned political commentator, ” The moment is to be written in golden letters in history”. More so, because never in the past seven and a half decades of independence, and even before, the Communists and Muslim Leaguers had accepted or respected Vande Mataram, despite the Constitution hailing it as National Song, on par with National Anthem, Jan Gan Man. The pseudo secularists in Indian National Congress had also been allergic to the most patriotic verses of Bengim Chandra Chatterji. It was following the protest from these quarters that the National Song was cut short and only the first few lines used to be sang in public. ‘Azadi ka Amrit kal’, under Prime Minister Narendra Modiji winessed the resurrection of Vande Mataram in full, in all its beauty.
It was Governor of Keralam who gave stern instructions that Vande Mataram should be played first and in full at the start and end of the swearing in ceremony of the new cabinet. It may be recalled that the practice of offering floral tributes to Bharath Matha, at functions in Lok Bhavan, Keralam, initiated by Governor Rajendra Arlekarji had roused a controversy in the state. But this time the Governor’s order was carried out in letter and spirit. As the song was sung, the entire leaders on dais and tens of thousands in the audience stood up in pin drop silence in honor of Vande Mataram. Those on dais included ex Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM secretary M. V. Govindan, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam and Indian Union Muslim League Supremo Palakkad Thangal in addition to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.
Keralam is often discribed as the country’s crucicible of political experiments and the state had set several models. The state and the people have now set yet another model, the model of praising Bharath Matha, transcending politics and religion
However, a controversy erupted in the Kerala Assembly on Thursday (May 29) after the reportedly truncated version of Vande Mataram was played ahead of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s address, despite an earlier directive that the National Song should be rendered in full at official functions attended by the Governor.
Speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram, the Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said, “What we had insisted that there has to be, whenever Governor is present, it is the protocol, you are right… that whenever Governor is present, it has to be sung fully. It was not, they did not sing it, it was played only. But, they could have done it. Let us see… they will rectify it. I have spoken to the Speaker also.”
The issue also drew sharp criticism from V Muraleedharan, a BJP MLA in the Kerala Assembly. He alleged that the authorities had failed to comply with the Centre’s directive regarding the National Song.
Despite the Centre’s directive to sing Vande Mataram in full at functions attended by the Hon. Governor, it was not followed in the Kerala Assembly.
This is an insult to the Hon. Governor, Lok Bhavan, and the national song in its 150th year.
The government’s decision clearly… pic.twitter.com/RbvOtuzwyE
— V Muraleedharan / വി മുരളീധരൻ ( Modi Ka Parivar) (@VMBJP) May 29, 2026
“Despite the Centre’s directive to sing Vande Mataram in full at functions attended by the Hon. Governor, it was not followed in the Kerala Assembly. This is an insult to the Hon. Governor, Lok Bhavan, and the national song in its 150th year,” the BJP legislator said.
