Thiruvananthapuram, May 30 -- CPI Kerala Secretary Binoy Viswam sparked a political row over the Vande Mataram controversy in the Keralam Legislative Assembly, asserting that the national song is not the national anthem and its rendition beyond specific stanzas is optional and historically limited.

His remarks came after Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan said that the full rendition of Vande Mataram is not mandatory, and after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar expressed displeasure over the song not being played fully and being played only in instrumental form by the police band in the Assembly.

Reacting to the debate over the rendition of Vande Mataram in the Assembly, Viswam said it is not a national anthem and was never treated ...