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Madras High Court makes singing of Vande Mataram mandatory in schools, govt offices

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9 years ago

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Madras High Court

Verdict came on a petition filed by an individual who failed a teacher recruitment exam because he didn’t know what language the national song was originally penned in.

The failure of K Veeramani, who failed his Bachelor of Teaching (BT) Assistant selection exam conducted by the Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) because he apparently didn’t know what language Vande Mataram was originally written in, has got the Madras High Court to rule that private schools and government offices in the state must make singing of the national song mandatory!

Veeramani had moved the Madras High Court claiming that the TRB answer key for the examination mentioned that the national song was originally written in Sanskrit although he had read in several books that Vande Mataram had been penned in Bengali. The questionnaire for the selection exam had asked the language that the song had originally been written in and Veeramani had answered ‘Bengali’ only to later realize that he had lost 1 mark for his reply and failed to secure his selection because of it. His contention was that he secured 89 marks in the exam, a single point shy of the selection target – a mark he should have been awarded because in his opinion he had answered the question correctly.

And so, the Madras High Court’s Justice MV Muralidharan, who was presiding over Veeramani’s case, decided to ascertain whether the answer to the petitioner’s piquant problem had been lost in translation.

Justice Muralidharan’s verdict in the matter that came on Tuesday could, however, lead to some controversy since singing of the national song – made mandatory in schools and educational institutions by some in BJP-ruled states across India – has in the past met with strident opposition from some Islamic organizations who claim that it goes against the tenets of Islam.

In his judgement, Justice Muralidharan said that singing of Vande Mataram in schools, government offices, private entities and industries in Tamil Nadu should be compulsory. The court ruled that private and government schools across the state should ensure that their students sing Vande Mataram “at least twice in a week, preferably on Monday and Friday” and that “the song can also be played in other government and private establishments at least once in a month”.

Interestingly, the judge noted that “If people feel it is difficult to sing the song in Bengali or in Sanskrit, steps can be taken to translate the song in Tamil.”

Perhaps alive to the potential consequences of his order given the controversies that have erupted over it in recent years, Justice Muralidharan also ruled: “In the event, any person/organisation has difficulty in singing or playing the song, they shall not be compelled or forced to sing it, provided there are valid reasons for not doing so.”

The judge hoped that this order “shall be taken in the right spirit and also implemented in letter and spirit by the citizenry of this great nation”.

Curiously though the verdict came after much deliberation by the court – which happens to have the second highest pendency of cases among all high courts of the country with 3,02,846 cases pending as of January 2017 and only 38 judges out of its sanctioned strength of 75.

Since Veeramani had contended in his prayer that his answer of Vande Mataram being originally written in Bengali was correct and that the TRB was wrong in saying that the national song was penned in Sanskrit, Justice Muralidharan asked the TRB to clear its stand.

The TRB in turn pleaded that the song was originally written in Sanskrit but was translated later to Bengali.

The court then asked the Advocate General of Tamil Nadu, R Muthukumaraswamy, to find out the right answer. On July 13, Muthukumaraswamy informed the court that while the original language of  ‘Vande Mataram‘ was Sanskrit, it was first written in the Bangla script – thus making contentions put forth by both, Veeramani and the TRB, acceptable (depending on how the question is interpreted).

Justice Muralidharan finally ruled on Tuesday that Veeramani’s must be included as a BT Assistant but also decided to make singing of the national song mandatory.

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

9 hours ago

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August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

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1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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