‘Vande Mataram Should Have Equal Status As National Anthem’: Tamil Nadu Governor

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Saturday said that Bharat (India) is not merely a geographical entity but a mother, and emphasised that Vande Mataram should be accorded the same status as the national anthem.

While addressing a gathering, the Governor said that the idea of Bharat as a mother had been neglected after Independence, a development he described as unfortunate, reported India Today.

“Bharat is not just a geographical entity. It is mother. Unfortunately, after Independence, we started ignoring it,” he said.

Pitching for greater recognition of Vande Mataram, the Governor said the song deserved equal standing with the national anthem and should be played more frequently. “Vande Mataram should have equal status as the national anthem. Unfortunately,

it is ignored. We need Vande Mataram to be played,” he added, as reported by the news outlet.

Referring to examples from within Tamil Nadu, Ravi said the song continues to resonate among students, pointing out that several schools and colleges in the state organise Vande Mataram competitions.

The Governor’s remarks came amid an ongoing row after he skipped the customary address to the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The controversy erupted after Ravi reiterated that the national anthem had been “insulted” when the Tamil anthem was played at the start of the Assembly session.

In a statement, the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan said the national anthem was “yet again insulted” and that a fundamental constitutional duty had been disregarded. The Raj Bhavan also alleged that the Governor’s microphone was repeatedly switched off and that he was not allowed to speak.

According to the statement, Ravi demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil anthem. When Speaker Appavu refused, the Governor walked out of the House without reading the opening address.

This marked the third consecutive year that the Governor has skipped the customary address. In 2024 and 2025, too, he did not deliver the address, and last year he had staged a walkout over the national anthem not being played at the start of his speech.