Guwahati: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has warned of protests at schools and government events where the full version of Vande Mataram is sung, amid growing debate over a recent directive from the Centre.
The student body said it would mobilise its members to identify such instances and organise demonstrations, arguing that the later stanzas of the national song invoke Hindu deities and are at odds with indigenous tribal beliefs and traditions. According to the KSU, only the first two stanzas refer to the motherland, while the remaining verses contain explicit religious references.
The announcement was made during an event marking 48 years of the organisation, where general secretary Donald V Thabah said the move was necessary to resist what he described as cultural assimilation.
“If we allow them to direct us to sing, one day we will have to toe their line,” Thabah said, linking the issue to earlier concerns over the perceived imposition of Hindi, as well as legislations such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngnar reiterated that the organisation remains committed to protecting indigenous identity and unity, stressing that cultural practices should not be imposed on tribal communities.
The development follows a directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), mandating the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. The January 28 order also states that when both the National Song and the National Anthem are performed, the National Song must precede the Anthem.
Similar concerns have also emerged in Nagaland, where Naga student bodies have opposed the directive, describing it as an infringement on religious beliefs and cultural identity.