Karnataka House opens special session with Vande Mataram row; BJP MLAs sing full version

The opening day of Karnataka's three-day special legislative session was marked by a dispute over the national song, as BJP legislators recited the full version of Vande Mataram after the recording played in both Houses ended after two stanzas.

Proceedings in the Legislative Assembly began with the official rendition, which stopped after the first two paragraphs. Speaker G.S. Patil then allowed condolences to be paid to prominent persons, and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar rose to pay tribute to former MLA R.B. Shiriyannavar, who died on August 27.

BJP members, agitated over the truncated rendition, raised slogans and began reciting the remaining stanzas themselves.

A similar scene unfolded in the Legislative Council, where BJP members continued with the rest of the song even as Chairman Saleem Ahmed started reading the preamble of the Constitution, in keeping with the established practice. The members then shouted slogans against the government over the failure to play Vande Mataram in full.

The Congress government in Karnataka has directed that only the first two stanzas of the song be sung at its programmes, except those attended by the president, vice-president, prime minister or governor.

The session was convened to discuss the severe drought in the State and the implications of the Dr. Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats.