Naga Students’ Federation opposes directive on Vande Mataram in schools, calling it cultural imposition on the Naga homeland.
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DIMAPUR — Pushing back against what it described as cultural imposition, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has opposed the recent instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs mandating the playing or singing of the National Song Vande Mataram before the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, during select high-level official functions and extending the protocol to educational institutions.
In a press release, the NSF stated that the directive—laying down a rigid sequence of precedence and recommending that the day’s work in schools begin with the community singing of Vande Mataram—amounts to an imposition that ignores the historical, political and cultural realities of the Naga people.
While acknowledging the constitutional framework of the Indian State, including Article 51A(a), the federation asserted that no authority can compel cultural or ideological conformity in the Naga homeland in a manner that disregards its unique history and identity.
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“Schools are institutions of learning and critical thought, not instruments for enforcing symbolic compliance,” it stated.
The NSF warned that no activities mandating the compulsory singing or playing of Vande Mataram before Jana Gana Mana should take place in schools across the Naga homeland.
It urged the Nagaland Board of School Education to refrain from issuing any circulars or notifications enforcing the protocol and to ensure that educational institutions are not subjected to directives that could create unrest or coercion among students.
Cautioning school authorities and administrators against implementing the guidelines without due consultation and an understanding of ground realities, the federation cautioned that any unilateral action would be viewed as a serious affront to the collective sentiments of Naga students.
The NSF further advised all its federating units and subordinate bodies to maintain strict vigilance to ensure such activities are not carried out in their respective jurisdictions, and called upon authorities to respect the distinct political and cultural rights of the Naga homeland and refrain from measures that undermine mutual respect and understanding.