Lumami, Nagaland: A group of students and research scholars at Nagaland University chose to remain seated when the national song Vande Mataram was played during the university’s 8th convocation ceremony on March 6, 2026. The students stood up only when the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, was played. The event was held at the Lumami campus in Zunheboto district and was attended by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan.
The silent protest was organised by the Nagaland University Students’ Union (Lumami Campus) in line with a directive from the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF). It was a response to a Union Home Ministry advisory that recommended playing the full six-stanza version of Vande Mataram before the national anthem at official functions and educational institutions.
Student leaders cited cultural and religious sensitivities as the primary reason for their stand. Nagaland’s predominantly Christian population has long expressed reservations about certain elements of Vande Mataram, particularly its historical associations and references that some interpret as invoking the motherland as a deity. They also invoked Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution, which grants special protections to Naga religious practices, customary laws, and social customs, shielding them from certain central directives.
The Naga Students’ Federation described the ministry’s recommendation as a “forceful imposition” that failed to account for the unique cultural and historical context of the Northeast. Similar concerns have been raised in parts of Meghalaya and other Naga-inhabited areas.
Videos of the students remaining seated quickly spread on social media, triggering widespread debate. While some viewed the action as a legitimate assertion of cultural rights and constitutional safeguards, others criticised it as disrespectful to national symbols.
Local newspapers such as Morung Express, Eastern Mirror Nagaland, and Nagaland Tribune reported the incident factually, highlighting it as a peaceful protest in accordance with student union decisions. National media coverage placed the event within broader discussions on patriotism, federalism, and the integration of Northeast India.
The convocation proceeded without any disruption despite the protest. The episode once again underscores the ongoing tension between calls for uniform national protocols and the demand to respect regional identities and special constitutional provisions in India’s northeastern states.
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