Representation against the imposition of Vande Mataram

To
Her Excellency
The Hon’ble President of India
Smt. Droupadi Murmu
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi-110004
Through: His Excellency the Governor of Nagaland
Sub: Representation against the imposition of the Indian National Song Vande Mataram in the Naga homeland.
Your Excellency,
We, the undersigned, on behalf of the collective conscience, identity and sentiments of the Naga people, respectfully submit this memorandum expressing our strongest opposition to the recent directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs mandating the playing or singing of the Indian National Song Vande Mataram during official functions and directing its compulsory observance within educational institutions.
At the outset, we wish to state that the Naga people harbour no hostility toward the national symbols, songs, or cultural expressions of any nation or community. The Nagas have historically respected the traditions and patriotic sentiments of all peoples. However, the imposition of any cultural or symbolic expression upon the conscience of a people, particularly one with religious and devotional connotations, raises serious concerns regarding fundamental freedoms and internationally recognized rights.
The revised Vande Mataram contains devotional imagery associated with the worship of a particular deity. For communities such as the Nagas, whose cultural and religious traditions are diverse and whose society places immense importance on freedom of conscience, the compulsory singing or observance of such a composition is viewed as an infringement upon deeply held beliefs and cultural sensitivities.
The Naga homeland has historically been a land of peaceful coexistence where individuals of different religions, cultures and backgrounds live with mutual respect. Across Naga areas, temples, mosques, churches and other places of worship function freely and peacefully under the hospitality of the Naga people. This environment of harmony has been sustained not through coercion, but through voluntary respect for diversity.
However, the directive that educational institutions begin the day’s work with the collective singing of Vande Mataram, coupled with instructions to “popularize” the National Song under coercion, is deeply troubling. Educational institutions must remain spaces for intellectual freedom, cultural sensitivity and the nurturing of democratic values, not platforms for enforcing symbolic compliance or ideological uniformity.
Your Excellency, beyond the democratic framework of India, we respectfully submit that the present directive raises concerns under several international conventions and legal instruments to which India is a signatory or participant.
Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly affirms the right of every individual to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This includes the freedom to manifest one’s belief or to refrain from practices that violate that belief.
Similarly, Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which India is a State Party reaffirms that no person shall be subject to coercion that would impair his or her freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of choice.
Furthermore, Article 27 of the same covenant explicitly guarantees that ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities shall not be denied the right to enjoy their own culture or to practice their own religion. Any directive that compels communities to participate in symbolic or devotional expressions inconsistent with their beliefs may be interpreted as inconsistent with this international obligation.
In addition, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their distinct cultural institutions, traditions and beliefs without external imposition or assimilationist pressure.
The Naga people are recognized as an indigenous community with a distinct historical identity, political consciousness and cultural heritage. The imposition of symbolic practices without consultation risks undermining these internationally recognized protections.
Moreover, the principles contained in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination emphasize the obligation of States to respect cultural diversity and ensure that policies do not disproportionately affect the cultural or religious identity of particular communities.
Your Excellency, the Naga people possess a distinct historical and political identity shaped by decades of history, dialogue and negotiations. Any attempt to impose symbolic practices upon the Naga homeland without consultation risks undermining the principles of democratic governance, federal sensitivity and mutual respect that form the foundation of peaceful coexistence.
The Naga Students’ Federation, along with thousands of concerned citizens, students, churches and civil society organizations, has therefore organized a peaceful public rally to collectively express the concerns and sentiments of the Naga people regarding this directive.
This peaceful democratic expression does not arise from hostility toward any nation or people. Rather, it is motivated by the desire to safeguard the dignity, identity and freedom of conscience of the Naga people.
In light of the above concerns, we respectfully urge Your Excellency to:
Nullify or withdraw the directive mandating the singing or playing of Vande Mataram during official functions and within educational institutions in the Naga homeland.
Ensure that no policy or directive is implemented in a manner that disregards the cultural, religious and historical sensitivities of the Naga people.
Uphold the principles of secularism, democratic consultation and respect for diversity, which remain essential for the harmonious functioning of a pluralistic society.
Encourage dialogue and consultation with representatives of the Naga people before implementing measures that may affect the cultural or social fabric of the Naga homeland.
Your Excellency, this memorandum represents the collective voice of the Naga people across the Naga homeland who have gathered in peaceful democratic protest to defend our identity, conscience and dignity.
We remain hopeful that the concerns expressed herein will receive your earnest consideration in the spirit of justice, democratic values and respect for diversity.
Mteisuding Heraang, President NSF;
Kenilo Kent,
General Secretary NSF; Neingulo Krome,
Secretary General, NPMHR;
Rev. Dr. N. Paphino, President, Nagaland Joint Christian Forum