Chaos at Kozhikode Corporation’s I-Day flag-hoisting as councillors simultaneously sing national anthem, Vande Mataram

On Saturday, the Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony at Kozhikode Corporation in Kerala took an unusual turn when councillors from opposing political parties simultaneously sang the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, and the national song, Vande Mataram. The ceremony commenced outside the Corporation office near Kozhikode beach around 9:30 am.

Mayor O. Sadasivan initiated the proceedings by hoisting the flag and delivering his Independence Day address, after which he led the councillors in singing Jana Gana Mana. However, about 13 BJP councillors, belonging to the ruling front, simultaneously began singing Vande Mataram, sparking confusion and controversy among the attendees.

The BJP councillors defended their actions, stating that they had notified the Mayor in advance about their intention to sing Vande Mataram during the ceremony. They argued that singing both songs simultaneously was disrespectful to both national symbols. The Deputy Mayor, S. Jayasree, criticized the BJP councillors for interrupting the national anthem, explaining that the Corporation had traditionally sung Jana Gana Mana during such events, and Vande Mataram could have followed afterwards.

The incident occurred within the context of a broader political debate surrounding the Union government's Har Ghar Tiranga campaign and the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. The Ministry of Culture had directed that physical events held between August 9 and 17 as part of the campaign should feature the collective singing of Vande Mataram alongside the flag-hoisting.