The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) has referred the Union government’s directive on the recital of Vande Mataram to its Select Committee following intense debate among legislators during the recent Assembly session.
Speaker Sharingain Longkumer confirmed the development while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Chümoukedima. He said the Assembly had received a standing order from the Ministry of Home Affairs instructing legislatures across the country to play “Vande Mataram” before the National Anthem at official functions.
“As it is a government standing order, we had to follow suit,” Longkumer said, adding that the National Anthem continues to be played as per protocol for the Governor. He acknowledged that reservations over the directive were raised even before the Assembly session began and that the matter figured prominently during the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address.
According to the Speaker, several members expressed strong views on the issue during deliberations in the House. “Members were very agitated and expressive. As Speaker, I had to take note of all the opinions and views shared. There was extensive discussion,” he said.
Following the debate, the House unanimously decided to refer the matter to the Select Committee of the Assembly. The committee, headed by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister for Law and Justice, with the Advocate General as a member, will examine the directive in the context of Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India, which grants Nagaland special provisions regarding the applicability of central laws.
Longkumer emphasised that Nagaland is the only state with such a committee and described it as significant in safeguarding local concerns. He refrained from offering a personal opinion on whether the directive could infringe upon Article 371(A), stating that the matter now rests with the committee. “If the desire of the House is to examine it through the committee, we may as well do so. That was our decision,” he said, expressing hope that the issue would be discussed amicably and the Assembly’s views conveyed to the Union government.
The controversy was sparked during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address, when Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu, a legislator of the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF), strongly objected to the recitation of “Vande Mataram” in the Assembly. Calling it unprecedented in his 24-year tenure as an MLA, Nienu argued that the order issued by the Home Ministry does not specifically mention legislatures. He also cited Article 371(A), which protects Naga religious and social practices unless decided otherwise by the Assembly, and described the directive as an imposition on their faith.
“As Christians, we cannot serve two masters,” he said while placing his dissent on record.
Seeking to ease tensions, Temjen Imna Along, BJP legislator and senior leader, urged members to view the national song in its historical and secular context. He noted that “Vande Mataram,” written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s, became a powerful symbol during India’s freedom struggle and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India in 1950 as the national song.
Along said that India’s diverse population often interprets the motherland through different cultural expressions, including forms such as Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi in some parts of the country. “I am not here to justify, but at least we can respect the sentiment of the nation,” he said, stressing that the song should not be seen as an infringement of Article 371(A) or on religious faith. Drawing from his own experience as a Christian educated in missionary schools, he said students of different religions often participated respectfully in each other’s prayers. “Secularism means accepting and respecting each other’s thought processes,” he added.
The issue has also drawn strong opposition from church bodies in the state. The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF) rejected the Home Ministry’s directive instructing states and Union Territories to sing “Vande Mataram” at official functions, including schools and institutions.
In a joint statement, NJCF president Rev. Dr. N. Paphino and general secretary Rev. Moses Murry said the forum recognised the patriotic spirit of the song but expressed concern over elements they believe conflict with Christian beliefs. They emphasised that the principle of secularism, as enshrined in the Constitution, must be upheld and argued that Nagaland, being a Christian-majority state, cannot compromise its religious convictions by complying with the directive.
The forum said the existing National Anthem was sufficient to foster national unity and warned against forcing individuals, especially children, to recite lyrics that might conflict with their religious conscience. It urged the Government of India to respect the religious rights of minority communities and reconsider the directive in the interest of preserving religious freedom.
Meanwhile, the debate over “Vande Mataram” has resurfaced nationally during the 150th anniversary of the song after the Home Ministry pushed for greater use of its full version. Critics have argued that historically only the first two stanzas were recommended for official use. In 1937, the Congress Working Committee, with the support of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, suggested limiting the song to its first two stanzas to avoid references to Hindu goddesses. Later, on January 24, 1950, the Constituent Assembly adopted this truncated version while declaring Jana Gana Mana as the National Anthem. Then President Rajendra Prasad announced that “Vande Mataram” would be accorded equal honour as the national song.
Amid the ongoing debate, Speaker Longkumer also welcomed the recently signed Memorandum of Agreement on the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority, calling it a positive step for the people of eastern Nagaland. He clarified that the agreement has not yet been formally tabled in the Assembly but will require legislative action once placed before the House.
On the vacant Assembly constituency in the state, the Speaker said the by-election would be announced by the State Election Commission. He added that it may be held alongside a by-poll in Tripura following the demise of the Speaker there, though he described it as only a possibility and said the final decision rests with the election authorities.
