'No compromise': BJP targets Congress over Vande Mataram decision; passes resolution

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vehemently opposed the Congress party's decision to limit the singing of the national song, Vande Mataram, to only the first two stanzas at their events. The BJP passed a resolution asserting their commitment to protect the honor, national character, and prestige associated with the complete version of Vande Mataram.

They strongly condemned the Congress Working Committee's (CWC) decision of August 19, 2026, which reaffirmed its 1937 resolution and restricted Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas at Congress programs. The BJP labeled this move as an anti-imperialist cry and a deliberate effort to diminish the national song's significance. They promised to recall and disseminate Mahatma Gandhi's testimony that Vande Mataram had become an "anti-imperialist cry" and was associated with the "purest national spirit," emphasizing its broader national meaning.

BJP leader Sambit Patra held a press conference, criticizing the Congress and highlighting the national song's importance. On August 15, 2026, the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, the complete song was sung from the Red Fort for the first time, but on August 15, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi signaled to stop the song after two stanzas during the flag-hoisting ceremony.

This incident occurred in the presence of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. The BJP accused the CWC of taking this decision due to political convenience or appeasement. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had described the Congress Working Committee's resolution as "anti-national" and accused the party of reviving its decades-old "politics of appeasement."