NSF Opposes Compulsory Vande Mataram at Independence Day Programmes

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has appealed to churches, tribal bodies, civil society organisations and citizens in Nagaland to abstain from official Independence Day programmes in protest against the directive making the playing or singing of the revised Indian National Song, Vande Mataram, compulsory at official functions and educational institutions. The appeal comes a day after the NSF directed its federating units and subordinate bodies to ensure that schools and educational institutions do not send students to the 2026 Independence Day programmes. The federation said Nagaland has long upheld peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and harmony among communities, faiths and traditions. It expressed concern over the religious and devotional imagery contained in portions of Vande Mataram, particularly whether such expressions should be imposed on people regardless of their faith or conscience. The NSF clarified that its stand should not be viewed as opposition to India, its people, national identity or patriotic traditions, but as a matter of religious freedom, individual conscience and inclusivity.