Priyank Kharge Defends Karnataka's Vande Mataram Stanza Directive
· India · Hindustan Times, The Hindu
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge defended the state government's decision to restrict the singing of Vande Mataram to two stanzas at official functions, rejecting objections raised by the BJP. Kharge stated that the state followed an approach established by national leaders including Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru. The directive follows a Union Home Ministry guideline issued in January recommending all six stanzas be sung when paired with the national anthem during events marking 150 years of the song. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi criticized the Karnataka order as minority appeasement and warned of political consequences in the 2028 Assembly elections. Kharge countered that the opposition was raising the issue to distract from pressing economic concerns, unemployment, and public service commission exam irregularities.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights an ongoing political flashpoint between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP over cultural nationalism and state protocol in Karnataka.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
Join us on Telegram
Breaking news the moment it lands. At 10,000 members we ship the Android app.