Nagaland Baptist Church Council Opposes Mandatory Singing of Vande Mataram

The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has formally expressed opposition to new government directives requiring the full version of the song “Vande Mataram” to be played or sung at official events across India. The mandate, introduced by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government during the August 2026 parliamentary session, elevates the song to the same status as the national anthem and imposes penalties for non-compliance.

In a statement, NBCC leaders Rev. Dr. Mar Pongener and Dr. Villo Naleo argued that the requirement infringes upon freedom of conscience and religious conviction. While the first two stanzas of the song are patriotic in nature, the full version contains imagery depicting the motherland as a goddess, which conflicts with the religious beliefs of many Christians and other minority groups. The council emphasized that while they respect national symbols and constitutional values, they believe patriotism should be a matter of free choice rather than forced compliance.