‘Vande Mataram’ row sparks political storm after Kerala Governor’s policy address

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar addressing the Kerala State Assembly in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday (May 29, 2026) | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran The Kerala Police band skipped playing ‘Vande Mataram’ in its entirety at the opening session of the 16th Kerala Assembly on Friday (May 29, 2026), laying the groundwork for a dispute between the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government and the Lok Bhavan. Returning to the Lok Bhavan after his policy address, Governor Rajendra Arlekar took strong exception to the government’s decision to restrict the law enforcement’s brass band from rendering the song from beginning to end. Published - May 29, 2026 01:08 pm IST