Published Sep 22, 2026 | 1:54 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 22, 2026 | 1:54 PM
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
Synopsis: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has asked Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to reconsider the 8 September order limiting the rendition of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas at State government functions. He said the State should examine whether it has constitutional authority to prescribe a version different from the Centre’s official version and urged it to follow the Union protocol to avoid “avoidable constitutional litigation”.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has advised Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to reconsider the State government’s 8 September order restricting the rendition of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas at State government functions.
In a letter dated 21 September, Gehlot said the order should be reconsidered in the light of the Union government’s instructions and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026.
The Governor said the State government should examine whether it has the executive authority under the Constitution to prescribe a version of the National Song different from the one prescribed by the Centre. He said the National Song and regulation of its official version were not expressly assigned to the State List.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, has issued specific ‘Orders relating to the National Song and the National Anthem of India’ and has prescribed the official version of ‘Vande Mataram’ for purposes of rendition,” he said.
“The Central instructions therefore leave no scope for a State Government to prescribe a different or truncated version for State Government functions.”
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Gehlot said the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026 covers intentional prevention of the singing of the National Song and intentional disturbance of an assembly engaged in such singing.
“Parliament has now expressly brought the National Song within the statutory framework of national honour,” he said.
He also referred to Supreme Court judgments concerning national symbols, saying the legal position had to be examined with due regard to the statutory framework and constitutional freedoms involved.
“Therefore, in view of the above, I advise the State Government to re-consider the Government Order dated 8 September 2026 and follow the Central Government’s prevailing instructions concerning the rendition of the National Song at State Government functions,” Mr. Gehlot said.
He said such reconsideration would avoid conflict between the State government’s administrative instructions and the Union government’s protocol and prevent “avoidable constitutional litigation” over the respective executive powers of the Union and the State.
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The Governor’s letter comes a day after BJP-JD(S) members in the State legislature protested the September 8 order by singing Vande Mataram in its entirety, after the official rendition ended with the first two stanzas during the three-day special session that began on September 21.
BJP MLA SR Vishwanath alleged that the Chief Minister’s decision was intended to please Sonia Gandhi and the Congress high command.
Leader of the House Yathindra Siddaramaiah defended the government’s decision, saying:
“Our government has decided that only two stanzas of Vande Mataram should be sung at government functions. At programmes where the President, Prime Minister and Governor are present, we will follow the Central government’s direction to sing all six stanzas. But at all government programmes, we will sing two stanzas. In the same way, two stanzas have been sung here.”
The 8 September order has also been challenged before the Karnataka High Court.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
