Vande Mataram row: Congress digs in, says it will stick to singing two stanzas

The Congress party is standing firm on its decision to sing only the first two stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram, following criticism from the BJP-led NDA government. This stance emerged amid a controversy sparked by BJP's aggressive attacks on the Congress over the rendition of the song during Independence Day events. Congress Secretary General Mallikarjun Kharge defended the party's position by citing a 1937 CWC resolution that deemed the first two stanzas appropriate, citing the backing of freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.

Kharge maintained that if the Congress' interpretation of the national song constitutes a crime, the earlier Central governments should be held accountable. He also pointed out that the Congress has been following this practice for 90 years, suggesting that the government cannot unilaterally change the established norms. The controversy has also spilled over to other issues like student unrest, Ram temple donations, and tensions with China.

The Congress is now strategizing to keep these issues in the limelight, with a CWC meeting being convened to discuss this and other pressing matters.