‘Vande Mataram’ Mix-Up At Eknath Shinde Event Leaves Ministers Standing As Bollywood Song Plays

A mix-up at a government event attended by Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde in Thane has gone viral on social media after a Bollywood version of “Vande Mataram” was played instead of the expected song.

Shinde and other ministers and dignitaries remained standing and paid respect while the song played.

Source : IANS

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Bollywood
• Attendees, including Shinde, respectfully stood through the song.
• Video of the mix-up went viral, sparking discussions.

A minor mix-up at a government event attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Thane has sparked discussion after a Bollywood version of “Vande Mataram” was played instead of the expected patriotic rendition at the start of the programme.

Shinde, along with other ministers and dignitaries, was present when the announcement was made that “Vande Mataram” would be played. Everyone stood up, but instead of the expected national song, a version from the Bollywood film Pukar, sung by legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar, began playing.

Despite the mix-up, Shinde and the other attendees remained standing and paid respect while the song played. Once the Bollywood rendition ended, the national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana”, was played. A video of the incident has since surfaced on social media.

What Happened At Thane Event?

The incident reportedly took place during the concluding programme of the Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Curriculum Campaign in Thane. The event was jointly organised by the Maharashtra government’s Transport Department, the State Marathi Development Institute, the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad.

As the programme began, attendees were asked to stand for “Vande Mataram”. However, the song that followed was the version from Pukar, featuring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit and sung by Mangeshkar. Although it was a Bollywood song, those present continued to stand and listen.

Senior litterateur Madhu Mangesh Karnik and Maharashtra minister Pratap Sarnaik were among those present at the event, according to local reports.

Thane, Maharashtra: A Bollywood version of ‘Vande Mataram’ song was played instead of ‘Vande Mataram’ during a Transport Department programme attended by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Ministers Uday Samant and Pratap Sarnaik were also present. The incident took place… pic.twitter.com/4kxTXVTgre

— IANS (@ians_india) August 17, 2026

Video Of Incident Goes Viral On Social Media

The song from Pukar had itself been recorded for a public event in the film. At the Thane programme, several attendees appeared to listen and sing along when the track was played. A video also appears to show Shinde singing a few lines of the song.

The incident has led to discussion over how the mix-up occurred and who was responsible for playing the wrong track. The video also appears to show that some attendees did not immediately realise that the version being played was not the expected rendition.

The clip has since gained attention on social media, with users discussing the incident and speculating about the political reactions it could trigger. There is also discussion over whether Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut could use the episode to target the Shinde faction.