Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan on Sunday said the full version of Vande Mataram would not be sung in Kerala "in this lifetime", adding that it would not be rendered in its entirety "even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi threatens to shoot us down".
Unnithan said he was unaware of any directive from the Chief Secretary regarding the complete rendition of the national song.
"It will be rendered in the manner it has been sung till now. Nothing more will be sung," he asserted.
He alleged that the Lok Bhavans have become the hub of "low-level politics and Governors are now working to sabotage democracy with money power".
"So what justice can we expect from Governors? They all have turned into sycophants of the central government," he further claimed.
"We cannot accept the full rendition of the Vande Mataram. Not in this lifetime," he said.
His response comes in the wake of an August 6 letter of Kerala Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha, stating therein that the 2026 edition of the campaign, launched in 2022 under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, had been integrated with the third phase of the nationwide commemoration of 150 years of the National Song Vande Mataram, as approved by the National Implementation Committee chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Accordingly, all physical celebrations during the period would combine collective singing of Vande Mataram with the hoisting or display of the National Flag, while digital participation would be routed through the Har Ghar Tiranga portal, where citizens could upload their "Selfie with Tricolour", the letter has said.
The letter was issued following a communication from the Union Ministry of Culture regarding the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, which will be observed from August 9 to 17 this year.
It has also said the Government of India's instructions regarding the recitation of Vande Mataram would be followed in full.
The opposition CPI(M) has criticised the issuance of the letter directing full rendition of the national song and demanded its withdrawal.
It also alleged that the state government was surrendering to the RSS agenda by issuing such directions.
(With inputs from PTI)