Nagaland church council opposes move to make singing of 'Vande Mataram' mandatory

Nagaland's church council has expressed opposition to making the singing of Vande Mataram mandatory, particularly for Christians. The Nagaland Baptist Church Council maintains that patriotism should not be reduced to compulsory conformity. The council values India's national symbols, patriotic sentiments, and constitutional values, but asserts that matters of faith, religious conviction, conscience, and identity require sensitivity and respect.

The church body emphasizes that India's constitutional framework upholds liberty, equality, pluralism, and freedom of conscience, and that national unity should not equate to uniformity. The council warns against coercion, which may result in outward compliance but not genuine loyalty, conviction, or a sense of belonging. It calls for dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect for conscientious objection, urging all stakeholders to approach the issue with wisdom, restraint, and constitutional sensitivity.