By: Karan Thapar Published in: *The Wire* Date: February 16, 2026 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwKNeMFtAAY
"In an interview to discuss the recent Home Ministry order directing all six stanzas of Vande Mataram to be played at official functions and that schools start the day with community singing of the song, one of India’s most highly regarded Supreme Court lawyers, Sanjay Hegde, has called this 'constitutional vandalism dressed up in national pride'. Mr. Hegde points out that there is no law that requires any Indian citizen to compulsorily sing any song and that the order regarding Vande Mataram is 'executive overreach'. Mr. Hegde also points out that if challenged in court and if the court goes by the 1986 Bijoe Emmanuel judgement (which specified that there is no compulsion to sing the national anthem provided you respectfully stand whilst its played) then he fully expects the Home Ministry order regarding Vande Mataram to be struck down. I will stop there. I will let Mr. Hegde speak for himself in this brief 15-minute interview."
