The Nagaland Legislative Assembly committee examining the applicability of laws passed by Parliament has decided not to present its report on the compulsory playing of Vande Mataram for now, even though it has already completed its examination and adopted the report.
The decision comes after Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The Bill has been passed by both Houses but is yet to be published in the Gazette of India. The committee has therefore decided to wait until the final outcome of the legislation is known before placing its report before the Assembly.
The decision was conveyed to Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) president Mteisuding Heraang by Parliamentary Affairs Minister K.G. Kenye, who is also chairperson of the committee, in a communication dated September 3.
The issue arose after the instrumental version of the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram was played during the arrival and departure of the Governor of Nagaland on March 2, the opening day of the Eighth Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, in compliance with a January 28, 2026, executive order of the Ministry of Home Affairs on orders relating to the National Song of India.
The matter was raised by members of the Assembly and subsequently referred to the committee for examination.
According to Kenye, the committee held sittings on March 18, May 18 and June 24 and subsequently adopted its report. The report was proposed to be laid before the Assembly during the ongoing session.
However, in view of the passage of the amendment Bill, the committee has decided, as an interim measure, to withhold the report until the “final outcome” of the legislation is known.
The committee will revisit the matter thereafter, Kenye said, taking into consideration the “collective views and sentiments” of the people of Nagaland.
This means that while the committee has completed its examination and adopted a report, its recommendation on the Vande Mataram issue has not yet been placed before the House.
Kenye, in his communication, requested the NSF to call off its ongoing protest in view of the committee’s decision.
The NSF, however, has kept the first phase of its agitation in abeyance, rather than withdrawing its position on the issue.
In a notification issued on September 3, the Federation said its first phase of agitation, in the form of a peaceful demonstration in connection with the Assembly session, had been kept in abeyance in view of Kenye’s communication and the committee’s assurance that the collective views and sentiments of the Naga people would be taken into consideration.
The NSF reiterated that its “principal demand” remains the adoption of a strong resolution by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly against the imposition of the revised Vande Mataram in government programmes and official functions.
At the same time, the Federation directed educational institutions and affiliated bodies across the Naga homeland not to include or invite government functionaries, including the Governor of Nagaland, as guests or invitees to programs and functions involving the singing or playing of Vande Mataram, until further directions from the Federation.
The NSF directed its federating units and subordinate bodies to communicate and ensure compliance with the directive within their respective jurisdictions.
The Federation warned that should no such resolution be adopted by the Assembly, it would “intensify the next mode of democratic agitation.”
It also placed on record its position on freedom of conscience, religious liberty, democratic safeguards and peaceful coexistence, and reiterated its commitment to pursuing its demands through democratic and peaceful means.
The immediate protest has thus been kept in abeyance, but the dispute remains unresolved, with the Assembly committee holding back its already-adopted report pending the outcome of the parliamentary legislation and the NSF maintaining its demand for an Assembly resolution.
The protest by the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) against the imposition of Vande Mataram at the Nagaland Assembly took a symbolic turn earlier on Thursday, with protesters singing the Christian hymns at the Nagaland Legislative Assembly gate in Kohima.
The protesters gathered outside the Nagaland Legislative Assembly as part of the NSF’s opposition to the ‘compulsory imposition of the revised Vande Mataram in government programs and official functions’.
Rather than raising slogans alone, the protesters joined in singing Christian Hymns describing the action as a “Democratic Singing Revolution.”
It may be noted that the federation has written a representation to the Chief Minister urging the Nagaland Government to facilitate a discussion in the Assembly and adopt a resolution opposing the compulsory singing, recital or playing of Vande Mataram during government programmes and official functions in the State in the ongoing NLA.
The Federation has also urged the government to ensure that the report of the Select Committee constituted by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to examine the issue concerning Vande Mataram is tabled before the House at the earliest.