The West Bengal government directed all recognised madrasas under the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department to make the singing of Vande Mataram compulsory during morning assemblies.
The order followed last week’s directive mandating the recital of the national song in all schools across the state.
According to the Directorate of Madrasa, aided and unaided institutions must now ensure students sing Vande Mataram before classes begin. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari earlier announced that all six stanzas of the song must be sung in schools under the School Education Department. With the latest order, the same practice extends to madrasas.
The move marks another significant education-related decision by the Adhikari-led government. Vande Mataram has long held symbolic importance in India’s political and cultural discourse, widely used by freedom fighters during the independence struggle and later associated with nationalist movements.
The issue gained renewed focus after the central government granted Vande Mataram equal status to the national anthem earlier this year, making its recital mandatory at government functions and school events. The directive has sparked debates across states, with controversies surfacing during oath-taking ceremonies in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
