Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the controversy over the singing of the national song Vande Mataram continues in Kerala, the Centre has directed all states, including Kerala, to organize collective singing of the song in Child Care Institutions (CCIs) during the ongoing Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.The ministry of women and child development, in a letter dated Aug 4 accessed by TOI, directed states and union territories to observe the campaign till Aug 17 in all CCIs functioning under the Mission Vatsalya scheme. A senior general administration department (GAD) official said there was nothing unusual about the Centre’s communication, describing it as part of routine instructions issued during national campaigns.“This is a routine instruction issued in connection with the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. It is sounding controversial only because the singing of Vande Mataram has been politicised in the present context. Otherwise, there is nothing unusual about asking institutions to sing the national song as part of a national flag campaign,” the official said.The letter says the lyrics of Vande Mataram will automatically appear on images uploaded to the campaign portal. The directive calls for both physical and digital activities. Physical programmes may include hoisting or displaying the National Flag, collective singing of Vande Mataram, patriotic programmes and participation by children, staff and other stakeholders.The ministry has asked every state and union territory to ensure participation of all CCIs under Mission Vatsalya, as well as attached offices of the women and child development, social welfare and social justice departments, wherever applicable. It has also sought a consolidated report from each state on the celebrations, including the total number of CCIs, the number where the campaign was observed and the activities conducted.The Centre describes Har Ghar Tiranga, launched under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, as a nationwide campaign aimed at fostering patriotism and strengthening citizens’ emotional connection with the National Flag.With Vande Mataram already at the centre of a political and administrative debate in Kerala, the latest communication from Delhi has added a fresh dimension to the controversy by explicitly asking child care institutions to include collective singing of the song in their Har Ghar Tiranga activities.
