Bengaluru, September 22 (Daily Kiran) : The Karnataka High Court convened on Tuesday to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by senior lawyer and activist Girish Bhardwaj. The petition challenges the state government’s recent decision regarding the singing of Vande Mataram at official events.
A division bench led by Justice Anu Shivraman presided over the proceedings. Senior advocate Angad Kamat represented the petitioner, while Karnataka’s Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty appeared for the state government.
During the hearing, Kamat argued that decisions regarding the national anthem and national song should be made by the central government, asserting that state governments do not have the authority to alter them independently. He pointed out that the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued notifications outlining the proper way to sing the national anthem and song. According to the petitioner, Vande Mataram consists of six stanzas and takes approximately 3.10 minutes to perform. Kamat emphasized that the central government has also provided guidelines for the song’s rendition.
He contended that the state cabinet’s decision to limit the singing of Vande Mataram was fraught with procedural errors. Kamat claimed that no department had formally proposed shortening the song, and the cabinet’s decision was made without an appropriate cabinet note or supporting documents.
Kamat maintained that matters related to national symbols, including the national anthem, fall under the jurisdiction of the central government, and state governments cannot create separate rules.
In response, Advocate General Shetty challenged the circumstances surrounding the filing of the PIL. He noted that the petitioner submitted the plea on a holiday and sought an immediate hearing the following day.
Shetty referenced Supreme Court proceedings related to Vande Mataram, stating that the central government had indicated that singing the national song is not mandatory, while singing the national anthem is compulsory. He argued that singing the entire Vande Mataram is not obligatory, as traditionally, only two stanzas have been sung on such occasions since 1932.
Furthermore, he cited a letter from the central government’s joint secretary to state chief secretaries, which mentioned occasions for singing the song and acknowledged the use of two stanzas in state government programs.
Shetty also accused the petitioner of providing false statements in his affidavit by claiming no affiliation with any organization, alleging that he has ties to a political party and suggesting that the PIL has political motivations.
Despite these claims, Kamat insisted that Vande Mataram is recognized as a national song. He argued that the Supreme Court has not specified how many stanzas should be sung, only addressing the issue of showing respect when the song is played.
Kamat urged that the central government clarify the number of stanzas to be sung and that state governments adhere to its directives, asserting that the central instructions are not merely advisory but must be followed.
These arguments come amid ongoing disputes regarding the Karnataka government’s decision on the singing of Vande Mataram at official events. Notably, Union Education Minister Prakash Javadekar has warned that the BJP will raise this issue against the Karnataka government in Parliament for limiting the song to just two stanzas.
On Monday, BJP and JD(S) legislators sang the full version of Vande Mataram within the Karnataka Assembly, defying the state government’s directive to limit the singing to two stanzas.
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