The Vande Mataram controversy continues to haunt the Congress government in Keralam, where the official stand is to sing the first two stanzas in all state government functions. However the song was sung in full at an official function attended by senior Congress leader and Health Minister K Muraleedharan in Kasaragod on Monday, prompting him to return to his seat midway.
The incident took place during inauguration of a laboratory at Mulleria Family Health Centre at Mooliyar in Karadukka panchayat, a facility run by health department but located in a BJP-ruled panchayat. The panchayat members had decided to sing Vande Mataram in entirety despite agenda listing only a prayer.
Visuals aired by news channels showed after the first two stanzas, Muraleedharan, Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnithan, MLA Kallatra Mahin and District Collector Sreedhanya Suresh sat down on dais while song continued. MLA K Neelakandan and DCC president P K Faisal remained standing till end.
On Tuesday, Muraleedharan defended his action. Don't teach me patriotism. Vande Mataram was not on the function's agenda, but two panchayat members sang the song in its entirety. We will not allow the BJP agenda to be implemented in state-run functions, he said. I do not need anyone to teach me patriotism. I am the son of a freedom fighter, referring to his father former Chief Minister K Karunakaran. He said state government's policy is only first two stanzas approved in 1947 will be sung and he would follow Centre's protocol at Central events but not allow hijacking of state events.
BJP district president M L Aswini demanded apology, saying minister, MP, MLA and collector sat and conversed after two stanzas disrupting song and violating Constitution. The organising committee said full version was its decision. BJP plans to file complaint alleging District Collector breached protocol.
Analysis:
Keralam Congress government since May 2026 has been locked in symbolic federal tussle over Vande Mataram, with Centre pushing full rendition and state insisting on two stanzas adopted as national song. Kasaragod incident shows how low-level protocol clash becomes stage for patriotism test. By sitting after two stanzas, Muraleedharan signalled adherence to state directive but visuals of minister sitting mid-song are easy for BJP to weaponise as insult to national song. Collector being caught in same frame raises administrative neutrality question. The controversy also exposes tension in Kerala's decentralised health system where panchayat-run centres host state ministers, allowing BJP-ruled local body to set cultural tone inside state programme.
Tags: #VandeMataram #Kerala #KMuraleedharan #Kasaragod #PatriotismRow #Congress #BJP #Keralam #StateProtocol #Mulleria