Chief Minister Mohan Yadav directed officials to implement the decision immediately, saying the measure would strengthen national consciousness. Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the song had inspired freedom fighters and soldiers and should be rendered respectfully before Jana Gana Mana at state functions as a tribute to martyrs.

The announcement drew objections from opposition leaders, including Congress MLA Arif Masood, who argued that the issue was not about respect for the national song but about constitutional rights. Citing Article 25, which guarantees freedom of religion, he said certain verses could conflict with monotheistic beliefs. He added that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board was studying the directive before taking a formal position.

School Education Minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh defended the move, saying the rule applied equally to all institutions and citizens. He criticised the Congress, asserting that nationalism should not be politicised and that such a decision should have been taken earlier to connect younger generations with the country’s history.

The controversy centres on the government’s decision to mandate all six verses rather than the commonly sung opening stanza. Some community leaders argue that later portions contain imagery they interpret as devotional, which they say may conflict with religious doctrine.

The song was composed in 1875 by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and published in 1882 in his novel Anandmath. It gained national prominence when Rabindranath Tagore sang it at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. The phrase, derived from Sanskrit, translates to “O Mother, I bow to you,” and became a rallying cry during the freedom movement.

Historian Sabyasachi Bhattacharya records that in 1937, amid communal tensions, Jawaharlal Nehru consulted Tagore after concerns were raised. Following discussions with leaders including Subhas Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Sarojini Naidu, only the first two stanzas were retained for official use.

The state’s latest directive has revived that long-standing historical and constitutional debate, placing questions of nationalism, tradition and religious liberty back into public discourse as implementation begins.