Chief minister DK Shivakumar with his deputy G Parameshwara
In his letter Tuesday, Gehlot said govt’s Sept 8 order appeared to run counter to central govt guidelines and raised constitutional and statutory questions arising from Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026.
Citing the Union home ministry’s (MHA) order, he said Centre had prescribed an official version of Vande Mataram, and its instructions on mass singing leave no scope for a state to adopt a truncated rendition. Bengaluru: Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot wrote to chief minister DK Shivakumar , urging govt to reconsider its decision limiting Vande Mataram to two stanzas at official functions. Govt had ordered only the first two stanzas of the national song be sung at its programmes, except when President, vice-president, Prime Minister or Governor is present.
Gehlot pointed to the 2026 amendment extending statutory protection under Section 3 of the Act to the national song, covering intentional prevention of its singing or disturbance of an assembly rendering it. Referring to Articles 162, 256 and 257(1), Gehlot said the distribution of executive powers between the Union and states needed consideration before adopting a protocol inconsistent with Centre’s.
“I advise the state govt to reconsider and follow the central govt’s prevailing instructions concerning the rendition of the national song,” Gehlot said, adding this would prevent litigation and avoid unnecessary conflict. Earlier reporting noted: In his four-page letter, the governor said, “…I advise the state government to reconsider the government order dated September 8, 2026, and follow the Central government’s prevailing instructions concerning the rendition of the national song at state government functions.” Parliament, he wrote, had expressly brought the national song within the statutory framework of national honour, and state action should be harmonised with the central framework rather than prescribe a divergent version. A state order prescribing a substantially different version, he warned, could raise an avoidable constitutional question over the respective spheres of authority.
Earlier reporting noted: Karnataka governor asks CM DK Shivakumar to reconsider truncating Vande Mataram A combination of file photo shows Karnatak governor Thaavar Chand Gehlot and chief minister DK Shivakumar. Earlier reporting noted: BENGALURU: Karnataka governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot on Monday wrote to chief minister D K Shivakumar asking him to reconsider the government’s decision to restrict the singing of Vande Mataram to only its first two stanzas.