In a significant move, the Union Home Ministry has mandated that "Vande Mataram," India's national song, be played before the national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," at all government events and in schools across the country. The new rules, issued Wednesday morning, also require all individuals present to stand when "Vande Mataram" is played.

The directive extends the reach of "Vande Mataram" to civilian awards ceremonies, such as the Padma Awards, and all events attended by the President, during both arrival and departure. However, the mandate does not extend to cinema halls.

Furthermore, the ministry has instructed that all six stanzas of the national song be played, including the four that were excluded from official use in 1937. This decision is expected to reignite discussions surrounding the song's history and usage.

"Vande Mataram," meaning "I bow to thee, Mother," was composed in Sanskritized Bengali by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s. It was first published in his 1882 novel "Anandamath". The poem served as a powerful symbol of national pride and unity during the Indian independence movement. In 1950, the first two stanzas of the song were adopted as India's national song, sharing equal honor with the national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana". Rabindranath Tagore first sang it at the Indian National Congress in 1896.

"Jana Gana Mana," the national anthem, was originally composed in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore on December 11, 1911. The first stanza of the song "Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata" was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India as the National Anthem on January 24, 1950. A formal rendition of the national anthem takes approximately 52 seconds.

The decision to include all six stanzas of "Vande Mataram" may spark controversy due to the later stanzas referencing Hindu goddesses such as Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. In 1937, the Congress, led by Nehru, decided to use only the first two stanzas for national gatherings, as the direct references to Hindu goddesses were not well-received by some members of the Muslim community, who viewed them as exclusionary.

The Home Ministry's recent directive also stipulates that the audience shall stand to attention during the singing or playing of "Vande Mataram". It also clarifies that when both the national song and the national anthem are sung or played together, "Vande Mataram" will be played first.

The Ministry has provided a list of events and places where the song may be played, including school assemblies. The order encourages schools to begin the day's work with community singing of the national song.

Under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, any person who disrupts or prevents others from respecting the national anthem (and now the national song) can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in jail.