# Suvendu Adhikari says all in Bengal must sing Vande Mataram 2026-08-22T16:07:54+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday declared that anyone living in the state will have to sing 'Vande Mataram', asserting there will be no compromise on nationalism. Addressing a gathering of Annapurna Yojana beneficiaries in his Bhawanipur constituency, he also announced that September 17 will be observed as 'Annapurna Diwas' on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, with a rally of one lakh beneficiaries planned in Kolkata. Adhikari launched a sharp attack on what he described as 'anti-national' elements at Jadavpur University, alleging that the national flag was not hoisted there, the state Education Department was denied entry, and CCTV cameras were not allowed on campus. He accused the 'tukde-tukde gang' and 'jihadi' elements of opposing the singing of Vande Mataram and the observance of Republic Day and Independence Day at the university. He also targeted Left parties, referring to their leaders as 'Lal babus' and claiming their candidates lost deposits in the assembly polls. The chief minister dismissed protests by women alleging they had not received benefits under the Annapurna scheme as politically orchestrated by the Opposition. He accused former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the TMC government of spreading 'canards' and blamed them for '15 years of destruction', alleging that policies under Banerjee drove industries out of the state. Both Deccan Herald and Mathrubhumi reported the events, with Mathrubhumi providing additional details on the Annapurna Yojana disbursement figures and the comparison with the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both sources present Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's statements without critical or supportive framing, sticking closely to his words and the event's logistics. Neither outlet includes reactions from the opposition, Jadavpur University authorities, or protestors, which would have provided balance. The coverage is uniform straight reporting, leaving readers with only the government's version. For a careful reader, the absence of any independent verification of Adhikari's claims about Jadavpur University or the Annapurna protests means these assertions should be treated as claims rather than established facts. The key date to watch is September 17, when the Annapurna Diwas rally in Kolkata will test the government's mobilisation capacity and whether protests escalate. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - deccanherald.com (neutral report) Straight report of Adhikari's statements without added commentary or balancing quotes. - english.mathrubhumi.com (neutral report) Factual reporting of Adhikari's speech and Annapurna Diwas announcement with extra detail on scheme data. This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-22T16:52:16+00:00. Tags: Jadavpur University, Suvendu Adhikari, Vande Mataram, West Bengal Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/suvendu-adhikari-says-everyone-in-west-bengal-must-sing-vande-mataram/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/suvendu-adhikari-says-everyone-in-west-bengal-must-sing-vande-mataram/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports 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. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/