National People’s Party Nagaland raises concern over directive on reciting Vande Mataram, urging sensitivity in view of Article 371A and local sentiments.
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DIMAPUR — The National People’s Party (NPP) Nagaland has expressed concern over a directive relating to the recitation or singing of Vande Mataram before the national anthem at official functions and educational institutions.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the party said that while the people of Nagaland hold the national anthem and the Constitution of India in the highest regard, any directive that may be interpreted as mandatory in matters relating to faith and conscience should be handled with sensitivity.
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The party said Nagaland is a Christian-majority state where faith and cultural traditions form an essential part of the social fabric, and emphasised that such issues should be viewed in the context of the special constitutional protections guaranteed under Article 371A of the Constitution of India, which safeguards the religious practices and social customs of the Naga people.
The NPP maintained that national unity is strengthened through respect for diversity and voluntary participation rather than compulsion. It urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to take into consideration the sentiments of the people of the state while dealing with such sensitive matters.