Kerala University vice-chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal faces criticism after he comments that people opposing the singing of “Vande Mataram” do not know “who their mother is.” Both outlets report the remark has triggered a public dispute over the issue.
The controversy centers on differing views about compulsory or mandated participation in the singing of “Vande Mataram,” a patriotic song used in official and ceremonial contexts in India. The reports note Kunnummal’s statement is directed at those who oppose the practice, framing the debate in cultural and emotional terms rather than procedural ones.
While the two sources largely focus on the same controversy and wording attributed to the vice-chancellor, they differ in how the dispute is presented—one headline emphasizes the personhood metaphor used by Kunnummal (“mother”), while the other highlights that the remark “kicks up” a wider row. Both accounts nevertheless agree that his comments have drawn attention and reaction around the song’s recitation in the university and beyond.
