Vande Mataram row: Kerala’s UDF govt. again faces allegations of toeing the RSS line
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said that he was unaware of the directive, while Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said that only two stanzas of Vande Mataram will be sung in the State government’s events
The United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala has once again faced allegations of aligning with the Sangh Parivar's agenda following a directive from the Chief Secretary. The order mandates the complete recital of Vande Mataram during Independence Day celebrations, as per Union government instructions. Opposition parties, including the Left Democratic Front (LDF), have criticized the UDF government for "surrendering completely" to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda.
The Chief Minister's office has not yet released an official response to the controversy. The Vande Mataram row is part of a series of decisions made by the UDF government that have been criticized for following a pro-Sangh Parivar line. The directive was signed by Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha on August 6, with the Union Ministry of Culture announcing the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign from August 9 to 17.
The Local Self Government department and the General Education Department are responsible for the program, but a previous circular issued on August 4 does not mention Vande Mataram recital as part of Independence Day celebrations. The Union government made it mandatory to play or sing the full song at all government events in February, and the Parliament passed a bill making intentional insult to Vande Mataram a punishable offence on July 30.
Opposition leaders have accused the UDF government of aligning itself with the RSS agenda and undermining the secular spirit of the country.
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