Home Ministry orders national song at govt events, all six stanzas to be played
February 11, 2026: The Union Home Ministry has issued fresh guidelines mandating that ‘Vande Mataram’ be played before the national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana,’ at all government functions and in schools nationwide. The directive makes it compulsory for everyone present to stand during the national song. Under the revised protocol, the song will also be performed at civilian award ceremonies such as the Padma awards and at official events attended by the President, including during arrival and departure. However, it will not be mandatory in cinema halls. The government has further stated that all six stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ will now be rendered, including the four verses dropped by the Congress in 1937. Sources indicate the Centre is also considering extending provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act to the national song, which could mean penalties of up to three years’ imprisonment for disruption or disrespect.
The move is expected to reignite political tensions between the BJP and the Congress. The controversy centres on the four stanzas removed in 1937 due to references to Hindu goddesses such as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, which the Congress had argued could alienate sections of the Muslim community. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously accused Jawaharlal Nehru of aligning with Muhammad Ali Jinnah in opposing the full version of the song, alleging that the deletions “sowed the seeds of division.” The Congress has countered by accusing the BJP and RSS of politicising the issue, with leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioning the ruling party’s interpretation of history.
Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875 and later included in his 1882 novel Anandmath, ‘Vande Mataram’ became a rallying cry during India’s freedom movement. While its opening verses poetically praise the motherland, later stanzas invoke divine imagery, which has long been at the centre of debate. With the Centre restoring all six stanzas to official events, a historic cultural symbol has once again moved to the heart of a modern political flashpoint.