Topic: National Song, Fundamental Rights, Secularism & Unity in Diversity

Date: 25 Septembet 2026

Historical Background

• Vande Mataram was written by Bankum Chandra Chatterjee.
• During the freedom movement, it become an important symbol of nationalism.
• In 1937, the Congress Working Committee decided that only the first two stanzas should be used at national gatherings.
• Reson: later stanzas contain references to the motherland in the form of Hindu deities, which raised concerns about inclusiveness.

Vande Mataram vs National Anthem

• Jana Gana Mana was adopted as India’s National Anthem on 24 January 1950.
• President Rajendra Prasad stated that Vande Mataram would also be honoured eqally.
• Important UPSCC point: the Constitution itself does not expressly mention a “National Song”.
• The Ministry of Home Affaires currently maintains official documents/orders concering the National Song and Nation Anthem.

Present Controversy

According to the editorial:

• The Union government has promoted the rendition of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram since the song’s 150th anniversary period.
• MHA issued directions concerning the singing/Playing of the National Song and National Anthem.
• Parliament also enactedd the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026.
• The legal and constitutional question is whether government directions can effectively comple participation in singing.

Fundamental Rights Angal

The most important case for UPSC:

Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala (1986)

The Supreme Court held that:

• Individuals cannot be forced to sing the National Anthem when they have a genuine conscientious religious objection.
• Merely standing respectfully without singing does not amount to disrespect.
• Executive instructions cannot independently impose restrictions on Fundamental Rights where statutory authority is required.

The judgement involved students who stood respectfully during the National Anthem but did not sing it because of their religious beliefs.

Constitutional Articles to Connect

The Suprem Court has specifically discussed Bijoe Emmanuel in relation to Article 19 and 25, including the importance of tolerance in India’s constitutional framework.

Core Constitutional Principale

The editorial’s central argument is:

National symbols should strengthen national unity rather than become instruments of religious or majoritarian uniformity.

For UPSC, understand the distiction:

Unity not eqal to Uniformity