Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Saturday, 12 September announced that the party will launch a five-day padyatra across all 224 Assembly constituencies in the state starting 15 September, to protest the state government's decision to restrict the singing of Vande Mataram to only two stanzas. Party workers and members of the public will meet tahsildars and Deputy Commissioners during the march to register their opposition.

What the Protest Is About

The controversy centres on the Karnataka government's directive permitting only two stanzas of Vande Mataram to be sung at official functions — a decision the BJP argues contradicts the Centre's position that all six stanzas should be rendered. Speaking at the state BJP office Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, Vijayendra said the party would submit formal representations to officials and mount sustained pressure on the state government to reverse the order.

'Vande Mataram is not merely a song. It inspired the spirit of the freedom struggle among crores of Indians and instilled a sense of patriotism among the people,' Vijayendra said.

BJP's Charge Against the Government

Vijayendra alleged that the decision was taken by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar with an intention to appease minorities — a claim the ruling Congress has not publicly responded to. He urged Chief Minister Shivakumar to take a cue from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who, he said, had ensured all six stanzas were sung in J&K. The contrast was pointed: if even a Congress-aligned government in J&K had upheld the full national song, he argued, Karnataka had no defensible reason to truncate it.

ED Searches and Congress 'Internal Rivalry' Allegations

Vijayendra also addressed the recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches linked to Karnataka Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi. He alleged there was growing speculation within the Congress that someone from within the party, privy to information about Jarkiholi, may have provided a tip to the ED. He noted that Jarkiholi himself had publicly said the identities of those who complained to the ED should be traced — a statement Vijayendra said raised questions about possible internal rivalry.

'There is no role of the BJP behind the ED raids. There are discussions about whether a conspiracy or a plot is being carried out due to internal differences in the Congress and the fight for the Chief Minister's chair,' Vijayendra said. He claimed Jarkiholi was being perceived as a potential obstacle in the race for the Chief Minister's post, suggesting the ED tip-off, if any, may have stemmed from factional manoeuvring within the ruling party.

Key BJP Leaders Present

Opposition Legislative Council Chief Whip N. Ravikumar, BJP state general secretaries N.S. Nandiesha Reddy and Preetham Gowda, Yuva Morcha state president and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju, and former MLA M.D. Lakshminarayana were present at the press conference. The wide turnout of party functionaries signals that the padyatra is positioned as a major statewide mobilisation ahead of the next electoral cycle.

What Comes Next

The five-day padyatra is set to commence on 15 September across all 224 Assembly constituencies, with BJP workers engaging directly with district-level officials. Whether the Karnataka government responds to the political pressure — or digs in — will shape the next phase of this dispute over the national song.