Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress over its decision to sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events, accusing the opposition party of reviving what he called its “extreme policy of appeasement”.
The remarks came a day after the Congress Working Committee decided to follow its 1937 resolution on the National Song. The party has maintained that its workers will continue to sing the first two stanzas at Congress programmes.
Shah links 1937 decision to Partition
Speaking to ANI, Shah said the Congress decision was not simply a matter of protocol but represented, in his view, a repetition of a historical mistake.
“The Congress Party Working Committee took a surprising and anti-national decision,” the Home Minister stated. Shah alleged that the Congress decision in 1937 to restrict the song had been driven by Muslim appeasement and claimed it ultimately contributed to the circumstances that led to Partition.
He further argued that the division of the song strengthened the two-nation theory and eventually contributed to the creation of Pakistan.
‘Insulted Bankim Chandra and millions of martyrs’
Shah said the Narendra Modi government was attempting to correct what it considers a historical wrong by ensuring the complete version of Vande Mataram is performed at designated government functions.
Taking aim at the Congress, he alleged that the party’s position amounted to disrespect towards both Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who wrote the song, and those who fought for India's independence.
“They have not only insulted the immortal work of the late Bankim Babu, but also millions of martyrs who went to the gallows for the country's independence while chanting Vande Mataram.”
The Union Home Ministry has issued guidelines for the singing or playing of Vande Mataram at specified government functions. The protocol provides for the full six-stanza version, with a duration of around three minutes and 10 seconds.
Shah targets Rahul Gandhi
Shah also criticised Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing the party of once again pursuing what he described as appeasement politics. “Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party is once again vigorously promoting the politics of appeasement in this country,” the senior BJP leader criticised.
He appealed to people to oppose the Congress position, saying that the country had already faced serious consequences from the earlier controversy surrounding the National Song.
The Congress has rejected Shah’s criticism and defended its decision by pointing to the party’s 1937 resolution on Vande Mataram.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the party’s position was unambiguous and that Congress workers would follow the decision taken by the leadership at the time.
“Our stand is very clear... Whatever the decision they took, we have decided that.”
Venugopal confirmed that Congress events would feature the first two stanzas of the song. He also accused the BJP of turning an emotional issue into a political controversy.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also referred to the 1937 Congress Working Committee resolution, saying it was adopted in the presence of several prominent leaders of the freedom movement, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose and Maulana Azad.
Ramesh argued that the current controversy was being deliberately amplified by the BJP and claimed that attention should instead remain on issues such as examinations, alleged “chanda chori” and foreign policy.
The dispute over Vande Mataram has therefore evolved into a broader political confrontation, with the BJP framing the Congress position as an insult to the freedom struggle, while Congress insists it is simply adhering to its historic 1937 resolution.
