Congress party faces BJP backlash over Vande Mataram singing decision

Vande Mataram Congress Working Committee BJP national song controversy 1937 resolution

A political dispute has intensified in India following the Congress Working Committee’s (CWC) decision to sing only the first two stanzas of the national song, Vande Mataram, at party events. The Congress party maintains that this practice adheres to a 1937 resolution adopted by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel, following advice from Rabindranath Tagore.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly condemned the decision, with leaders like Nitin Nabin and Amit Shah accusing the Congress of “appeasement politics” and labeling the party the “new Muslim League.” BJP officials argue that the 1937 decision to divide the song was a historical mistake that contributed to the partition of India. They further claim the Congress is disregarding recent parliamentary laws regarding the protection of national honor.

The controversy also involves cultural and legal dimensions. Actress Sharmila Tagore suggested that certain stanzas containing Hindu deities might be difficult for monotheistic believers to recite, a view criticized by actress Kangana Ranaut. Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has threatened legal action against top Congress leadership, citing the Prevention of Insults to National Honor (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

Entities

Amit Shah · Bharatiya Janata Party · Champat Rai · Congress · Congress Party · Congress Working Committee · India · K C Venugopal · KC Venugopal · Kiren Rijiju · Mallikarjun Kharge · Nitin Nabin

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] The Congress’s 1937 decision to divide Vande Mataram into two parts fuelled the two-nation theory and contributed to the partition of India. www.jantakiawaz.org · www.tv9hindi.com · desitalkchicago.com
[● 5 SOURCES] Congress is engaging in politics of appeasement to secure vote banks through its decision on Vande Mataram. www.jantakiawaz.org · www.tv9hindi.com · www.newsmobile.in
[● 3 SOURCES] Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, Congress is following its 1937 resolution while disregarding laws passed by Parliament. www.jantakiawaz.org · www.tv9hindi.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The Modi government has provided a legal basis for singing the complete Vande Mataram at all government functions to strengthen national unity. www.jantakiawaz.org · www.tv9hindi.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The Congress Working Committee's decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram is an anti-national act. www.jantakiawaz.org · www.tv9hindi.com
[● 5 SOURCES] BJP National President Nitin Nabin called the Congress the ‘new Muslim League’ due to its decision on Vande Mataram. madhyamamonline.com · thefederal.com · www.siasat.com · english.mathrubhumi.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The decision to limit the song to two stanzas follows a 1937 resolution made by leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. thefederal.com · hindi.webdunia.com · www.mangalorean.com · www.newsbytesapp.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Congress leaders stated that while the song is an emotional issue for the party, the BJP is using it as a political tool. thefederal.com · www.nayalook.com · hindi.webdunia.com · www.newsbytesapp.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honor (Amendment) Bill, 2026, making it a criminal offense to disrupt the singing of the national song. hindi.pardaphash.com · www.newsbytesapp.com
[● 7 SOURCES] The Congress Working Committee resolved that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram will be sung at all party events. hindi.pardaphash.com · thefederal.com · www.nayalook.com · hindi.webdunia.com · www.newsbytesapp.com · +2 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called the decision an insult to Mother India and accused the party of cheap vote-bank politics.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The VHP warned of legal action against top Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, regarding the alleged insult to the national song. hindi.pardaphash.com