Did you know that singing a patriotic song glorifying your motherland could be considered a crime in Kerala and might even land you in trouble? No, this is not a hypothetical scenario; this is exactly what happened last week.

In connection with the flagging off of a new Vandebharat train between Kochi and Bengaluru, the Southern Railway shared a video of a few students from Elamakkara Saraswati Vidya Niketan School singing a patriotic song a few days ago.

The song is in Malayalam and praises Bharata Amba or Bharat Mata. Soon, controversy erupted because it is an RSS Gana Geetam, a song usually sung in RSS shakhas across Kerala.

After the issue blew up on social media, both the ruling party and the main opposition in Kerala condemned the incident. The Education Minister subsequently ordered an inquiry into the matter, stating that action would be taken against the school based on the investigation report.

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Saraswati Vidyaniketan Principal Responds

Saraswati Vidyaniketan Principal Dinto K.P., however, has stood his ground. He described the Education Minister’s announcement of an inquiry as “deplorable” and stated that the school would not be intimidated by threats. He added that any legal issues faced by the students would be addressed appropriately.

What the Song Actually Says

Now, some of you might be wondering what the song actually conveys. The Southern Railway provided an English translation in the same post. The most striking part comes towards the end:

“Even though we are of different colors, we bloom open with one single mind, to serve our mother.”

This line emphasizes that although we may belong to different castes and follow different faiths, we can work together with one mind to serve our motherland. It is a clear call for unity in diversity.

Here’s the full translation of the portion sung beautifully by the students, as provided by Southern Railway.

“To worship Bhaarathamba on this supremely holy land,
There are blooming orchards here that receive the waters of the sacred river, blooming orchards here.
To pluck and offer leaves, petals, flowers, and buds,
Branches bow their heads and flourish abundantly here,
Scattering the fragrance of service from root to crown, to dedicate to the mother.
Buds of many colors, yet with one single mind, bloom open.”

Questions the Incident Raises

Let us ask a few straightforward questions:

• Does the song promote any particular religion or culture? No.
• Does it speak against any religion or culture? No.
• Does it further any political agenda? No.

On the contrary, the song exhorts citizens to act together with one mind for the nation’s progress.

Why the Backlash?

So, why would anyone have a problem with this, simply because it is sung in RSS shakhas? Let us consider this: the RSS considers Vande Mataram a national song and has even called it the “real national anthem” on several occasions.

Is it possible that singing Vande Mataram might one day be considered a communal act in Kerala? Only time will tell.