# BJP holds Vande Mataram protests across Kerala over I-Day song row 2026-08-22T00:06:07+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The BJP on Friday organised 'Vande Mataram Sadas' programmes at all district headquarters in Kerala to protest against the state government's decision not to recite the national song at official Independence Day events. In Thiruvananthapuram, the protest was held in front of the state Secretariat and was inaugurated by BJP state general secretary S Suresh. Addressing the gathering, Suresh alleged that the UDF government had stopped reciting Vande Mataram under pressure from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Jamaat-e-Islami. He accused Chief Minister VD Satheesan of becoming CM because of the IUML's demand and claimed the alliance was 'ruining the Sanatana culture of Keralam and the glorious models of the Renaissance'. Suresh said Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and set to tune by Rabindranath Tagore, represented the country's heritage and alleged it was being treated as 'haraam' in Kerala. He added that the BJP would not allow the state to be 'surrendered to anti-nationals' or the IUML, which he accused of having supported the partition of the country. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Vande Mataram dispute is a recurring flashpoint in Kerala politics, where the ruling UDF includes the IUML, a party that has historically objected to the song's religious overtones. The BJP is seeking to polarise the electorate ahead of the 2027 assembly elections by painting the UDF as anti-national. The protest's reach across all 14 districts suggests a coordinated campaign. The next major test will be Republic Day 2027, when the government's decision on the song will be closely watched. ## Coverage - thefederal.com Leads with BJP protest, quotes party allegations verbatim, no independent verification or government response included, syndicated PTI copy, straight news style. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: BJP, IUML, Kerala, S Suresh, Vande Mataram, VD Satheesan Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bjp-holds-vande-mataram-protests-across-kerala-over-i-day-song-row/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bjp-holds-vande-mataram-protests-across-kerala-over-i-day-song-row/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/