Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder-president Thol. Thirumavalavan has strongly opposed the Union government’s reported directive mandating the singing of Vande Mataram at government functions, alleging that the move is part of an attempt by the BJP, under the influence of the RSS, to eventually replace Jana Gana Mana as India’s national anthem, as reported in Tamil Samayam.
In a statement posted on X, Thirumavalavan claimed that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a circular dated 9 July 2026, to the Chief Secretaries of all states directing that Vande Mataram be sung at specified government events. According to him, the circular also includes a list of occasions where the song must be rendered.
The VCK leader described the directive as a threat to India’s pluralistic character and federal structure, alleging that it amounted to interference in the powers of state governments. He urged the Union government to immediately withdraw the circular and called upon the Tamil Nadu government to formally inform the Centre that it would not accept the mandatory singing of Vande Mataram at state government functions.
Thirumavalavan argued that the question of whether Jana Gana Mana or Vande Mataram should serve as India’s national anthem had already been settled during the Constituent Assembly debates following Independence. He noted that after extensive deliberations, Jana Gana Mana, written by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted as the national anthem and has held that status for more than seven decades.
Alleging an ideological agenda behind the latest directive, Thirumavalavan claimed that the BJP government, acting at the behest of the RSS, was attempting to elevate Vande Mataram to the status of the national anthem. He said the Centre had initially limited the song to Union government functions but had now directed that it be sung as the “national song” before the national anthem at government events.
Referring to the historical background of Vande Mataram, Thirumavalavan said the song, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and popularised through his 1882 novel Anandamath, had faced objections even before Independence. He stated that while the first two stanzas were widely accepted, later portions of the song contained references to Hindu deities, leading to objections from Muslim organisations and others who argued that singing those verses would conflict with their religious beliefs.
He further noted that in 1937, Congress leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose had proposed a compromise under which only the first two stanzas would be sung at public meetings in order to preserve national unity. He also pointed out that despite demands during the Constituent Assembly debates in 1950 to adopt Vande Mataram as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana was ultimately chosen.
Thirumavalavan alleged that the BJP had been seeking to declare Vande Mataram as the national anthem since the commemoration of the song’s 150th anniversary and claimed that the present circular formed part of that broader effort.
Describing Vande Mataram as a song associated with a particular religious tradition, the VCK leader argued that making its rendition compulsory at government functions was contrary to the constitutional principle of secularism. He reiterated his demand that the Union government withdraw the circular and urged the Tamil Nadu government not to implement what he termed the BJP-led Centre’s “communal political agenda.”
வந்தே மாதரம் பாடுவதைக் கட்டாயமாக்கும் சுற்றறிக்கையை இந்திய அரசு திரும்பப் பெறவேண்டும்!
————————
பாஜக அரசின் ‘மதவாத அரசியல்’
செயல் திட்டங்களுக்கு தமிழ்நாடு அரசு இணங்கிவிட கூடாது!
————————
விடுதலைச் சிறுத்தைகள் கட்சி அறிக்கை!… pic.twitter.com/PvJZX4VPkL— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) July 12, 2026
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
