Karnataka to sing only two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ at state events

The Congress government in Karnataka has ordered that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung at official programmes and functions, except those attended by the president, vice president, prime minister or governor, PTI reported.

On January 28, the Union home ministry directed that all six stanzas of the Vande Mataram be sung first when it is played together with the national anthem Jana Gana Mana.

Only the first two stanzas of the national song had been played at official functions earlier. The remaining stanzas, which invoke Hindu goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, had been omitted.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has long alleged that the Congress had agreed to drop the four stanzas to “appease Muslims”.

On August 19, The Congress said that the party would sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at its functions, citing a Congress Working Committee resolution from 1937.

In December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Congress in Parliament, alleging that Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, had supported Muhammad Ali Jinnah in opposing Vande Mataram when the resolution was adopted because it could “irritate Muslims”.

In August, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Amendment Act, which criminalises insults to the national song, came into effect.

Edited by Sara Varghese.

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