Kannur, Aug. 8 -- Escalating the political row over national symbols and state ceremonies, Keralam opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly condemned the directive requiring Vande Mataram to be sung in its entirety during Independence Day celebrations.

Calling the policy a direct imposition of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda, Vijayan demanded that the decision be withdrawn immediately.

The controversy stems from practices surrounding official state functions, including the recent swearing-in ceremony of the United Democratic Front (UDF) cabinet, where the full rendition of Vande Mataram was incorporated. Traditionally, only the first two stanzas of the song have been widely adopted and accepted alongside the national...