India, March 16 -- The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) on Monday organised a mass rally in Kohima to protest against the compulsory singing or playing of Vande Mataram in government functions and educational institutions in the "Naga homeland".

Students, church members and representatives of civil society organisations gathered at Old MLA Junction to express opposition to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on January 28 that calls for the mandatory observance of the national song.

Following the rally, participants marched to Lok Bhavan to submit a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu through Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav.

The memorandum, signed by leaders of the NSF, the Naga Peoples Movement for Human...