Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday questioned the practice of playing all five verses of Vande Mataram at the beginning and end of official functions, describing it as unnecessary and burdensome for audiences.
Speaking to reporters amid the ongoing debate over the national song in Kerala, Tharoor said there was universal respect for Vande Mataram, but making the full version mandatory at every official event was difficult to justify.
“Vande Mataram is the national song and we stand up in respect when it is sung. The first verse, or the first couple of verses, is something most people know by heart,” he said.
Tharoor noted that while the song holds an important place in India’s freedom movement and national consciousness, lengthy renditions at the start and end of programmes could place an unnecessary burden on attendees.
His remarks come amid a wider discussion in Kerala over the singing of Vande Mataram at public and official functions, with differing views emerging on how the national song should be presented.
The Congress leader maintained that respecting the national song and making its full rendition compulsory at every event were two separate issues and called for a practical approach to the matter.
