Kohima, Feb 21: The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Nagaland’s apex students’ body, has strongly opposed the Centre’s directive mandating that the National Song Vande Mataram be sung or played before the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana.

In a statement issued on Friday, NSF president Mteisuding Heraang and general secretary Kenilo Kent argued that the order imposes a “rigid sequence of precedence” and ignores the historical, political, and cultural realities of the Naga people. “No authority can compel cultural or ideological conformity in the Naga homeland in a manner that disregards its distinct identity,” they asserted.

The NSF expressed particular concern over guidelines suggesting schools begin the day with community singing of Vande Mataram, calling it an misuse of educational institutions meant for learning and critical thinking, not “symbolic compliance.”

The federation warned against any compulsory implementation in Nagaland schools and urged the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) to avoid issuing related circulars without consultation, cautioning that it could spark unrest among students. NSF units have been directed to stay vigilant and prevent enforcement in their areas.

The Union Home Ministry’s January 28 order specifies that all six stanzas of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Vande Mataram must precede the National Anthem when both are performed together.