Centre plans Vande Mataram-themed Republic Day fete; EU leaders invited as chief guests

Centre plans Vande Mataram-themed Republic Day fete; EU leaders invited as chief guests

India's Republic Day celebrations will feature a Vande Mataram theme, with top EU leaders attending and an EU-India Summit scheduled.

Govt to foreground ‘Vande Mataram’ at Republic Day celebrations amid criticism over forced patriotism

The Union government plans to foreground Vande Mataram during the Republic Day celebrations, with European Union leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa expected to arrive in India next month for the occasion. This comes as recent efforts to enforce the singing of Vande Mataram, particularly in schools and at public events, have drawn criticism from various quarters, with opponents arguing that such measures amount to forced patriotism. C…