Union Home Minister Amit Shah has intensified the political debate over Vande Mataram, accusing the Congress leadership of disrespecting the national song. Addressing a gathering in Rajasthan, Shah alleged that Sonia Gandhi had asked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to stop the rendition of Vande Mataram during the party’s Independence Day programme. He said the people of the country would not forgive Congress for such an act.
Amit Shah Demands an Apology
Shah criticised the Congress over its position on the national song and demanded that the party apologise to the people of India as well as to the memory of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who wrote Vande Mataram. The BJP has argued that limiting the rendition of the song amounts to disrespecting a symbol associated with India’s freedom struggle.
Congress Rejects the Allegations
Congress has rejected Shah’s allegations and defended its position on Vande Mataram. The party has maintained that the song was sung at its Independence Day programme and argued that the BJP is unnecessarily politicising the issue. Congress leaders have also pointed to the party’s historical position on which portions of the song should be performed at official party programmes.
1937 Resolution at the Centre of the Debate
The controversy gained further momentum after the Congress Working Committee reaffirmed its historical 1937 position concerning Vande Mataram. The party said the first two stanzas have traditionally been used in national and Congress programmes. The BJP, however, has strongly criticised this decision, turning the issue into another major political confrontation between the two parties.
Political Row Continues
The dispute over Vande Mataram has now expanded beyond the question of how much of the song should be sung, with both the BJP and Congress using the issue to challenge each other’s positions on nationalism and India’s freedom movement. Importantly, Shah’s claim about Sonia Gandhi directing that the song be stopped remains an allegation disputed by Congress and should not be presented as an independently proven fact. The controversy is expected to remain a politically sensitive issue as both parties continue to trade accusations.