New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- The Union Home Ministry has directed that all six stanzas of the National Song Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, shall be sung first when the National Song and National Anthem Jan Gana Man are to be played together.
In an order dated January 28, the home ministry gave the first set of protocols for singing the National Song, directing that six stanzas of it, having a duration of 3 minutes 10 seconds, shall be sung on official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the tricolour, and speeches of governors.
"When the National Song and the National Anthem are sung or played, National Song will be sung or played first," the order read.
The assembly where the National Song is s...