Standing up when the Vande Mataram, just like one does when the national anthem plays, may soon become the national practice.
The Home Ministry is currently discussing plans to extend the same protocol and regulation to Vande Mataram, an NDTV report said, citing sources.
However, no decisions have been made just yet.
As of now, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, currently applies only to the national anthem. Article 51(A) of the Constitution mandates that citizens stand to respect the national anthem.
However, the article does not have provisions which require people to stand for Vande mataram.
The discussion is underway after several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court and various high courts seeking to extend the mandates to the song.
Instructions by the home ministry specify the duration of the national anthem and what is required during its rendition, including the mandatory standing and singing by all.
Legal provisions also say that anyone who prevents or disrupts people from respecting the national anthem can be sentenced upto three years in prison.
Why Vande Mataram?
Vande Matram (’I bow to you mother’ in Sanskrit) is a song initially written as a hymn as part of the Anand Math novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya.
Freedom fighters used “vande matram” as a slogan and rallying cry during the fight to free India from colonial rule.
It was adopted as a national song in 1950.
Last year, the song was the centre of controversy after some Muslim organisations opposed the recital of the song. During the recent winter session of the parliament, the BJP also accused the Congress of removing stanzas of sing to appease the public.
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The original song had six stanzas; only the first two are sung as part of the national anthem. The sections after feature references to three different Hindu goddesses.
The Congress party, however, argued that the ruling party was using the song to take away attention from the upcoming election in West Bengal.
