The Madras High Court on Tuesday made singing Vande Mataram, the Indian national song, compulsory in all workplaces and educational institutions, according to media reports.
It must be sung once a week, either on Monday or Friday, in schools, and workers in offices must sing it once a month.
The court stated: “Vande Mataram will be played and sung in all schools/colleges/universities at least once a week (preferably on Monday or Friday). Vande Mataram will be played and sung in all Govt Offices and Institutions/Pvt companies/Factories and Industries at least once a month.”
Explaining the court’s decision, Justice MV Murlidharan said: “Patriotism is an essential requirement for every citizen of this country. The fact that this country is our Motherland should always be remembered by every citizen of this country.”
The court also told the director of public information to upload the Tamil and English versions of Vande Mataram to all government websites and social media platforms. Justice M V Muralidharan said, “If people feel it is difficult to sing the song in Bengali or in Sanskrit, steps can be taken to translate the song into Tamil.”
The court added that people or organizations will not be compelled to sing or play the national anthem if they have a valid reason.