Bengaluru, 21 September (H.S.): A heated war of words erupted between the ruling Congress and the BJP in the Karnataka Legislative Council on Monday over the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ during the House proceedings.

The confrontation began after Congress members stopped singing the national song after its first two stanzas, in accordance with the state government’s decision to use only those stanzas at official functions. BJP members objected and continued singing the entire song. The Chair subsequently read out the Preamble to the Constitution.

Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah said the government had decided that only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ should be sung at state functions. The full version, he said, was generally rendered at programmes attended by the Prime Minister or the President.

His explanation triggered protests and slogan-shouting by BJP members. BJP legislator N. Ravikumar claimed that the entire song had previously been sung in the Council and questioned why it had now been restricted to two stanzas.

Congress member B.K. Hariprasad disputed the claim, saying only two stanzas had been sung earlier and that the practice of rendering the entire song began when the BJP held the Chair. He suggested that the House hold a detailed discussion on the issue.

BJP members insisted that the Council was not a Congress office and demanded that the full song be sung.

The exchanges intensified after Yathindra said the Chair was acting in accordance with government directions and could not independently alter the decision.

BJP member C.T. Ravi asked whether this meant the Chair was ‘helpless’, while Narayanaswamy demanded an explanation directly from the presiding officer.

Ravi also questioned whether the Chair represented a constitutional institution or the Congress party. Members from both sides continued trading accusations, disrupting the proceedings as the disagreement over the government’s protocol remained unresolved.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman