Row over Vande Mataram in Karnataka Assembly

BJP legislators recited the full version of Vande Mataram at the beginning of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council proceedings on Monday, when the recording that was officially played in both the Houses ended after two stanzas.

A three-day special session of the Karnataka legislature, convened to discuss the drought situation in the State and the Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats ecologically sensitive areas, began here at Vidhan Soudha. The session at the Legislative Assembly started with the playing of the recorded Vande Mataram song, but it ended after rendering two stanzas.

Soon after that, Speaker GS Patil read out obituary references for the prominent people who passed away recently. However, BJP MLAs continued reciting the full version of the national song and concluded it by raising Vande Mataram slogans. Subsequently, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar started his intervention regarding the obituary references by paying tribute to former MLA RB Shiriyannavar, who died on August 27. Similarly, at the Legislative Council, BJP members continued reciting the remaining stanzas of the national song, even as Council Chairman Saleem Ahmed started reading the preamble of the Constitution, as per the practice.

BJP members then shouted slogans against the government for not playing the full version of Vande Mataram.

However, unlike in the Assembly, the Council witnessed chaotic scenes and a protest by the opposition from the well of the House over the issue.

The Congress government in Karnataka has ordered that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung in its programmes, except those attended by the president, vice-president, prime minister or governor.

The move followed the Union Home Ministry’s January directive requiring that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung before the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, when both are played together. The directive was issued as the Centre marked the 150th year of Vande Mataram.

In the Council, after reciting the full Vande Mataram, BJP MLCs separately read out the preamble of the Constitution.

Congress MLCs objected, accusing the opposition members of disrespect and of not following the Chair’s instruction. They also pointed out that BJP MLCs were reading out the preamble, which has already been read out in the House.

Intervening, Chairman Ahmed said, the preamble had already been read out.

He said the national song was played as per the decision taken by the government.

Leader of the House in the Council and Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah said the government decided that only two stanzas of Vande Mataram should be recited at government events, except those attended by the president, vice president, prime minister and governor. Accordingly, only two stanzas were played in both houses of legislature.

As BJP members shouted slogans targeting the government and accusing it of disrespecting Vande Mataram and freedom fighters, a heated argument erupted between the treasury and opposition benches. Congress members accused the BJP of disrespecting the preamble of the Constitution.

Congress MLC B K Hariprasad said only two stanzas of Vande Mataram were being sung in this House, but in 2011, when there was Chairman from the BJP, four paras were added.

As arguments continued, Yathindra said, let issues concerning the people be discussed in the House.

Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and other opposition members objected to Yathindra’s alleged statement that the Chairman has nothing to do on the matter and questioned whether the Chairman belongs to the government or the House?

Chairman Ahmed assured that he would look into the records and expunge those statements if required. However, not convinced by this, Narayaswamy demanded that the Chair rebuke Yathindra. This resulted in a heated exchange between the two. Yathindra said the LoP was misrepresenting his statement.

Narayanaswamy and BJP members said limiting Vande Mataram was an insult to the House and the Chair.

Intervening Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara alleged that the opposition was not interested in discussing issues concerning the people such as drought and the Kasturirangan report, but was interested only in politics. BJP members were enraged by this, leading to chaos in the House.

As Parameshwara initiated the discussion on the Kasturirangan report, BJP members walked into the well of the House in protest against limiting Vande Mataram to two stanzas and shouted slogans against the government.

After Parameshwara completed his statement, the Chairman adjourned the House for some time.

When the House resumed, the Chairman said he had spoken to both the ruling and opposition sides regarding the Vande Mataram issue, and everyone wanted a discussion on the matter. He assured that he would discuss the matter with the government and decide on how to proceed with the discussion. BJP members, accepting the Chair’s suggestion, withdrew their protest.