Forces behind protests against Vande Mataram must be identified: Governor

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the convocation ceremony of Central University of Kerala. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has called for a comprehensive study on the history ofVande Mataram, the circumstances that led to its composition and its influence on the national movement.Speaking at the valedictory function of a two-day national seminar organised at the Central University of Kerala (CUK) in Kasaragod, the Governor said the circumstances in which Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed Vande Mataram, and the reasons why Rabindranath Tagore regarded it as the song of the nation should be brought before the younger generation through research.According to Mr. Arlekar, the discussion about Vande Mataram should not be confined to whether the song consists of six stanzas or whether only two stanzas are sung. What needs to be understood is the spirit, sentiment and national consciousness behind it. The time has come to once again awaken the national consciousness that had united the country, he said.The Governor also expressed concern over the opposition to Vande Mataram. Society should reflect on where such attitudes questioning the need to sing Vande Mataram originate from.“The forces and ideas behind the protests against Vande Mataram should also be identified,” he was quoted as saying in a press release.The Governor added: “The incident that occurred the previous day was not an isolated one. Society should remain vigilant about the forces behind such tendencies, from Delhi to the local level. It was not enough merely to identify them; social intervention was also needed to counter such tendencies.” Mr. Arlekar’s remarks came a day after students held protests at the Central University of Kerala against the presence of J. Nandakumar, national convener of an RSS-linked organisation, at a Vande Mataram-related event at the institution.Besides opposing Mr. Nandakumar’s presence at the event, activists of various student organisations, including the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Muslim Students Federation (MSF), contended that many of them were denied entry to the programme despite registering for it.Left-affiliated student organisations, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students’ Federation (AISF), had also joined the protest.Meanwhile, students continued their protest against the event on Wednesday.(With inputs from PTI) Published - October 07, 2026 08:25 pm IST