SUVENDU DRAWS A PATRIOTIC LINE IN BENGAL: ‘VANDE MATARAM’ MADE COMPULSORY AS CM VOWS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SEPARATIST SLOGANS
October 12, 2026
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has declared that promoting nationalism and safeguarding India’s cultural identity will remain central to his government’s agenda, insisting that the full version of the national song Vande Mataram must be sung during prayer assemblies in every school, including madrasas. Addressing the inauguration of Durga Puja celebrations at Santosh Mitra Square in Kolkata on Sunday, Adhikari said his administration had more work to do to strengthen patriotic sentiment across the state.
“The full Vande Mataram has to be sung during prayers. There can be no compromise on this,” the chief minister said, adding that those who sang the national song would be his friends. His remarks signalled a hard line on nationalism as the BJP-led government seeks to make patriotic observances a more prominent feature of educational and public life in Bengal.
Adhikari also warned against slogans calling for Kashmir’s independence, asserting that such expressions would not be permitted in the state. Alleging that groups he described as the “tukde-tukde gang” were attempting to weaken the country, he called for stronger efforts to counter what he characterised as anti-national forces and urged people to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
In an apparent reference to the protests in Delhi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Adhikari used the terms “cockroaches” and “bedbugs” to describe those he accused of creating disturbances. The remarks added to the sharp political confrontation surrounding the demonstrations, which have centred on demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
The chief minister also addressed the vandalism at the residence of CPI(M) leader Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, saying he did not approve of such acts and that the police had responded promptly. However, he questioned Bhattacharya’s social media description of the incident as an attack by “Hindutvawadis”, asking why an entire community should be blamed for the actions of particular individuals.
“Are we not Hindus? Do we not live in Hindustan?” Adhikari asked, challenging what he portrayed as an attempt to attribute individual acts of violence to a wider religious community.
His comments placed the incident within a broader political dispute over religious identity, nationalism and accusations of communal aggression. While condemning the vandalism, Adhikari rejected the suggestion that the incident should be used to indict Hindutva supporters as a whole.
The chief minister’s speech combined a call for mandatory patriotic observances in educational institutions with warnings against separatist slogans and criticism of political opponents. It also underscored his administration’s determination to present nationalism and cultural identity as central themes of governance in West Bengal.
Adhikari’s remarks are likely to intensify debate over the relationship between patriotism, religious identity and political dissent in the state. While the government has positioned Vande Mataram as a central expression of national unity, his criticism of anti-SIR protesters and his language towards those accused of creating disturbances have further sharpened the political divide between the ruling BJP and its opponents.
