Centre cannot insist states sing full Vande Mataram, says MLC
An MLC in Karnataka has defended the state government's decision to sing only two stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram. He argued that the central government cannot force states to sing the full version, citing the country's federal structure.
Why it matters
This highlights ongoing tensions between state and central authorities regarding cultural mandates and federal autonomy in India.
Defending the State Government’s decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram in State government programmes, MLC Ivan D’Souza said on Sunday (September 20, 2026) that the Central Government cannot force the State to sing the full six stanzas of Vande Mataram.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in