Amaravati, February 18, 2026: The Andhra Pradesh Christian Leaders Forum has strongly opposed a central government directive mandating the singing or playing of all six stanzas of 'Vande Mataram' at official programmes.
The forum, representing the state's Christian community, argues that while the first two stanzas describe the nation's natural beauty in neutral terms, the later ones contain religious references that portray the motherland as a deity, conflicting with Christian monotheistic beliefs.
Leaders cite historical views, including Rabindranath Tagore's description of the full poem as a hymn to Durga, and claim the order undermines India's secular framework and violates constitutional rights to equality and religious freedom.
They demand the notification's withdrawal, dialogue with minorities, a return to limiting it to two stanzas, and no imposition in schools or they plan to approach the Supreme Court.
