India, Feb. 11 -- The Union home ministry has mandated that a six-stanza-long, 3 minutes and 10 seconds version of Vande Mataram be played or sung at a raft of official occasions, including during the unfurling of the Tricolour, arrival of the President at events, before and after her speeches and addresses to the nation, and before and after the arrival and speeches of governors.

In a 10-page order issued on January 28, seen by HT, the ministry also said that if the national song and the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, are sung or played together, Vande Mataram will be played first, and that the audience shall stand in attention during the singing or playing.

"Whenever the official version of the national song is sung, or played, the ...