University of Kerala Vice-Chancellor in-charge Mohanan Kunnummal courted controversy again on Saturday when he remarked that those opposing singing ofVande Mataram did not know who their mother was. Mr. Kunnummal was delivering the Independence Day message at Sankalp 2026, a gathering of youth organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, here on Saturday.

The V-C, in his speech, said as far as India was concerned, a mother was paramount. This, he said, was the reason for the use of the term Bharatamba and for singing Vande Mataram. “Vande Mataram is sung because Bharatabhoomi is a mother. Those who do not know their mother are the ones opposing use of Vande Mataram. Those who know their mother, what being a mother means will always say Vande Mataram. That is how it should be.”

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has strongly condemned the V-C’s remarks. SFI State Secretary P.S. Sanjeev, in a social media post, said the V-C was confident that he would not face any action from the Congress-led government in the State over such conduct.

When contacted, Mr. Kunnummal told The Hindu that his reference to mother was part of a long speech and referred to the motherland. Not many people know that in the eastern tradition ‘motherland’ was used, while in the western tradition ‘fatherland’ was used. Those who did not understand the concept of motherland would do so in time. For Indians, the motherland was paramount and hence the reference to Vande Mataram.