Nagaland’s NSF asks students to skip I-Day events over Vande Mataram row

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), a prominent students’ organization in Nagaland, has urged educational institutions to refrain from participating in Independence Day events this weekend, particularly due to the compulsory singing of the complete version of the national song, Vande Mataram. The NSF expressed concern over the compulsory participation, especially when the song’s devotional and religious imagery may conflict with the beliefs of students belonging to non-Hindu communities.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the NSF emphasized that India, as a secular democratic republic, guarantees freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, and therefore, no student should be compelled to participate in any religiously sensitive expression that contradicts their sincerely held beliefs. The NSF has criticized the Union home ministry’s guidelines issued on January 28, 2026, which detail a protocol for the observance of the national song at official events.

These guidelines include the stipulation that Vande Mataram should be sung before the national anthem when both are played together. The NSF has referred to constitutional safeguards under Article 371A of the Indian Constitution, which pertain to the religious and social practices of the Nagas. The directive issued by the NSF aims to ensure that no student faces disciplinary actions, discrimination, intimidation, or academic consequences for declining to participate in Vande Mataram on grounds of conscience or religious belief.

The NSF, which serves as an apex youth body, seeks to protect the interests of students and promote Naga solidarity across Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.