Kohima : The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) will hold a public rally in Kohima on March 16 to protest what it termed the “compulsory imposition” of Vande Mataram following a directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

In a statement, the federation said the rally will begin at the Old MLA Hostel Junction in the Phoolbari area at 10 am and participants will march to Lok Bhavan.

A memorandum highlighting the concerns of the Naga people will be submitted to the President of India through the Government of Nagaland, the NSF said.

According to the students’ body, the protest has been called in response to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 28 directing that the revised national song be sung or played during official functions and in educational institutions.

The federation said that while the Naga people respect the national songs and symbols of all nations, making Vande Mataram mandatory raises concerns as the song contains religious and devotional imagery that may conflict with the beliefs and conscience of many people in Nagaland.

The NSF added that the Naga homeland has historically been a place where people of different religions and communities have lived together in mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

It also asserted that educational institutions should remain spaces for learning and dignity and should not become platforms where symbolic practices are enforced against the will of students and communities.

The federation has directed its units and subordinate bodies across Naga-inhabited areas to organise peaceful demonstrations in their respective jurisdictions on the same day in solidarity with the Kohima rally.