West Bengal Makes Vande Mataram Mandatory in All Madrasahs
The West Bengal government makes Vande Mataram mandatory in madrasahs following a school directive.
The West Bengal government has made the recital of the national song “Vande Mataram” mandatory in all madrasahs across the state, extending a similar directive issued earlier for schools. The latest order, issued through the Directorate of Madrasah Education, applies to all recognized, aided, and unaided madrasahs functioning under the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department. According to the directive, the national song must be sung during the morning assembly before the commencement of classes.
The move comes just a week after the government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered all schools in the state to make the singing of “Vande Mataram” compulsory during daily assemblies. Officials said the latest order is aimed at ensuring uniform implementation of the policy across educational institutions governed by different departments of the state administration. The directive reportedly takes immediate effect and is expected to be followed by all institutions covered under the department’s jurisdiction.
In its earlier notification regarding schools, the state government had specified that all six stanzas of “Vande Mataram” must be sung during morning prayers or assembly sessions. The administration stated that the measure was intended to strengthen patriotic values and national identity among students. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had publicly announced the policy through an online post, describing it as a significant decision of the newly formed government and overriding previous administrative guidelines on school assemblies.
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“Vande Mataram,” written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, has historically been associated with India’s freedom movement and was widely used as a rallying cry during the anti-colonial struggle. The song returned prominently to political discussions during the recent West Bengal Assembly election campaign, where debates around nationalism, cultural identity, and educational policy became major talking points among competing political parties.
The issue has also gained national attention following recent controversies linked to the recital of “Vande Mataram” during official oath-taking ceremonies in states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, opposition parties criticized the sequence in which the song and the national anthem were played during the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay. In Kerala, political disagreements emerged after the full version of the song was reportedly performed during an official government event, leading to exchanges between ruling and opposition parties.
The renewed focus on “Vande Mataram” also follows the Union government’s February decision to accord the song a status equal to the national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana,” during official government and school functions. Under the updated protocol, all six stanzas of the song are to be performed alongside the national anthem at designated events. While supporters of the policy describe it as a step toward promoting patriotism and cultural heritage, critics argue that the directives may continue to trigger political and ideological debates across different regions of the country.
