Agencies | New Delhi:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up its attack on the Congress over the latter’s decision to retain its 1937 resolution restricting the singing of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas at official party programmes.
At its first office-bearers’ meeting under national president Nitin Nabin, the BJP on Saturday passed a 10-point resolution strongly opposing the Congress Working Committee’s decision of August 19, 2026. The party described Vande Mataram as a national symbol associated with the freedom struggle, reverence for Bharat Mata and India’s national consciousness.
The BJP accused the Congress of limiting the song in the name of “communal appeasement” and alleged that the decision reflected an attempt to prioritise political considerations over what it described as the song’s national legacy.
In its resolution, the BJP called for the complete legacy and historical significance of Vande Mataram to be upheld, while rejecting what it termed “communal pressure, political appeasement or narrow vote-bank considerations”.
The party argued that a resolution adopted by the Congress Working Committee in 1937 could not override constitutional institutions or subsequent laws and political developments.
The BJP also sought to highlight the historical circumstances surrounding the decision to restrict the song, referring to objections raised at the time and the broader communal politics of the period.
The BJP announced plans for a nationwide campaign through its workers to spread awareness about the history, significance and legacy of Vande Mataram.
The party said particular emphasis would be placed on educating younger generations about the song’s association with the freedom movement and the sacrifices made during the struggle against British rule.
The resolution also called for greater public awareness of the song’s complete six-stanza version and its historical evolution.
The BJP also invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s views on Vande Mataram, citing his description of the song as an “anti-imperialist cry” and linking it to what the party described as the “purest national spirit”.
The party argued that these historical references demonstrated that the song’s significance extended beyond the literary or religious interpretation of individual stanzas.
The resolution also sharpened the BJP’s criticism of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
The BJP alleged that the Congress’s current position on Vande Mataram reflected what it described as a continuation of the party’s earlier approach towards communal objections and political accommodation.
“A party that claims to be a flag-bearer of patriotism cannot escape the contradiction between that claim and its conduct,” the BJP said while criticising the Congress over its position.
The ruling party further argued that the legacy of Vande Mataram should not be reduced to contemporary electoral calculations.
The BJP’s resolution is likely to intensify the political debate surrounding Vande Mataram, with the issue emerging as another point of ideological confrontation between the ruling party and the Congress.
While the BJP has framed the matter around national identity, historical legacy and patriotism, its criticism of the Congress also places the issue firmly within the broader political contest over secularism, communal politics and electoral appeasement.
The BJP said it would not accept any compromise on what it considers the honour and legacy of Vande Mataram for political convenience, signalling that the issue is likely to remain a prominent part of its political campaign in the months ahead.
