Vande Mataram and BJP’s dilemma in Christian-majority states

When Vande Mataram was played in the presence of Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan at the Nagaland University convocation on March 6, an unusual scene unfolded. Many students and research scholars at the central university neither stood up nor sang the national song—something that is usually observed as part of protocol. 

Videos of the incident, which went viral on social media, came as a surprise for many. But the episode followed strong objections and protests in the Christian-dominated Nagaland. From MLAs to student bodies, many had already opposed the Centre’s directive in January making it compulsory to sing all six stanzas of Vande Mataram in government events and in educational institutions. The directive, according to critics, infringes upon the religious faith and constitutional rights of the Nagas.

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), an influential student body formed in October 1947, was quick to raise objections, saying the directive regarding Vande Mataram could hurt the sentiments of the Christian Nagas, as it carries “strong and undeniable religious connotations rooted in the worship of Hindu deities.” The student body also stated that any attempt to enforce or institutionalise the recitation of such a song within the Nagaland Assembly or any public institutions in the Naga homeland directly violates the spirit and safeguards enshrined under Article 371 (A), which protects the unique religious and social practices of the Nagas.

The issue also raised a storm on the floor of the Assembly on March 5 when many MLAs, including the Naga People’s Front (NPF), which leads the ruling alliance, objected to singing all six stanzas of Vande Mataram. This forced the Assembly to refer the matter to a Select Committee. The Bharatiya Janata Party is a major ally of the coalition government in Nagaland.

“The attempt to portray the song as purely secular and historical deliberately ignores the legitimate concerns raised by communities whose faith and cultural identity do not align with its religious imagery,” NSF said while condemning BJP leader and minister Temjen Imna Along, who tried to defend the Centre’s directive.

“In trying to endorse the Centre’s move, he appears more concerned
with pleasing his political bosses in Delhi than safeguarding the rights and sensitivities of the Naga people. No individual or political representatives have the mandate to dilute or compromise the hard-earned rights of the Naga people,” it said. Nagaland has an 87 per cent Christian population.

Special protection

Many in Nagaland believe that Nagas were never part of India, a sentiment that fuelled a violent movement after 1947. The decades-long Naga conflict has still remained unresolved, and this prompted the Centre over the years to offer various safeguards to win over the confidence of the communities in Nagaland. 

Tribal-dominated states such as Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya enjoy safeguards under Article 371, and any central acts or directives need the endorsement of the state assembly for enforcement or implementation. Tribal-dominated areas in Assam and Tripura also enjoy some level of autonomy under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Meghalaya and Mizoram, two other Christian-majority states in the Northeast, also witnessed similar objections. Adelbert Nongrum, an MLA of the opposition Voice of Peoples Party, said he was not against the practice of singing the first two stanzas but considers the Centre’s directive to make all six stanzas compulsory as an “imposition and infringement” on the freedom of religion. “As a Christian, I would like to quote the first of the Ten Commandments.”

The missing consent

From the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to the demand for a ban on beef by many BJP leaders and now the directive regarding Vande Mataram, the BJP-led Narendra Modi government has faced backlash in the Northeast, particularly in the Christian-majority Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya, and also in areas under the autonomous councils set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The CAA seeks to offer Indian citizenship to non-Muslim “persecuted” migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till 2014.
Strong protests, sometimes violent, against the CAA finally forced the Centre to exempt these areas from the purview of the Act, while the Inner Line Permit System—travel permits for outsiders—was introduced in Manipur in 2020. It already exists in Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. 

Mizo Zirlai Pwal (MZP), an influential students’ body in Mizoram, questioned why such a decision was taken without discussion with communities practising diverse religions and customs. “The Centre should reconsider and respect India’s secular status and address this urgently, ensuring that no community is forced to compromise on their faith,” it said.

“The educational institutions should remain spaces dedicated to learning and not be used to impose cultural or political mandates. Without proper deliberation and discussion, nothing should be forced upon schools or colleges,” the body added. 

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)