West Bengal’s newly elected government has made the singing of “Vande Mataram” mandatory in all state-recognised madrasahs, extending a directive issued last week for schools across the state.
An order issued by the Directorate of Madrasah Education said the national song must be recited during morning assemblies in all recognised, aided and unaided madrasahs operating under the state’s Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department.
The move comes days after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s administration ordered all schools under the state education department to sing all six stanzas of “Vande Mataram” before the start of classes.
In a post on social media last week, Adhikari said the directive would take immediate effect and apply to all government-run and government-aided schools in West Bengal.
“Vande Mataram”, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, was widely used as a rallying cry during India’s freedom movement and has remained politically sensitive in parts of the country, particularly in debates around nationalism and minority identity.
The latest order is expected to draw political attention in West Bengal, where madrasa education has often been at the centre of ideological and electoral debates between the ruling establishment and opposition parties.
The renewed focus on the national song follows a decision by the federal government earlier this year to accord “Vande Mataram” status equal to the national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana”, and recommend its full rendition at official and educational events.
Recent controversies linked to the song have surfaced in southern states including Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where opposition parties questioned its prominence during oath-taking ceremonies. The Bharatiya Janata Party has defended the practice as a reflection of national culture, while critics have argued that the issue is being politicised.
West Bengal is scheduled to remain a key political battleground ahead of future state and national elections, with education and identity issues likely to feature prominently in campaign narratives.
Muslim groups and several community leaders have opposed the directives, saying mandatory recitation of “Vande Mataram” infringes on religious freedom and the constitutional right to practise one’s faith.
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