Kasaragod: Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan stated on Sunday that the complete version of Vande Mataram will not be recited in Kerala "in this lifetime."

Unnithan noted that while he was unaware of any instruction from the Chief Secretary regarding the full performance of the national song, it would not be performed in its entirety "even if Narendra Modi threatens to shoot us down."

"It will be rendered in the manner it has been sung till now. Nothing more will be sung," he asserted.

He further alleged that Lok Bhavans have turned into centres for "low-level politics and Governors are now working to sabotage democracy with money power."

"So what justice can we expect from Governors? They all have turned into sycophants of the central government," he claimed.

"We cannot accept the full rendition of the Vande Mataram. Not in this lifetime," he added.

His remarks follow a 6 August directive from Kerala Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha, which noted that the 2026 iteration of the drive—initially introduced in 2022 under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav—had been aligned with the third phase of the national commemoration marking 150 years of the National Song Vande Mataram, as approved by the National Implementation Committee led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

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Consequently, all physical events during the campaign will pair collective singing of Vande Mataram with the hoisting or display of the National Flag, while digital engagement will be channelled through the Har Ghar Tiranga portal, allowing citizens to upload their "Selfie with Tricolour", according to the letter.

The circular was dispatched following a directive from the Union Ministry of Culture concerning the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, scheduled to take place from 9 to 17 August this year.

The directive also specified that the central government's guidelines regarding the full recital of Vande Mataram would be observed.
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The opposition CPM has condemned the issuance of the notice instructing the complete singing of the national song and demanded its immediate cancellation.

The party also claimed that the state administration was bowing to the RSS agenda by releasing such instructions.

PTI