Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Congress Two-Stanza Vande Mataram Policy Draws Sharp BJP Attack
Congress decided that its events will use only the first two parts of Vande Mataram.
The party said this follows a decision made by its working committee in 1937.
Congress leaders said several important national leaders were involved in that earlier decision.
The BJP strongly disagreed with Congress’s choice.
BJP president Nitin Nabin called Congress the “new Muslim League.”
He said limiting the song insulted Bharat Mata and the people who sacrificed their lives for India.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said Congress was treating its party decision as more important than the Constitution and the country.
Congress said the BJP was turning an emotional issue into a political controversy and distracting people from other problems.
The Congress Working Committee reaffirmed its 1937 decision to sing only Vande Mataram’s first two stanzas at party events.
Congress leaders said the earlier resolution involved Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel.
BJP president Nitin Nabin called Congress the “new Muslim League” and accused it of insulting Bharat Mata and freedom fighters.
BJP leaders said Congress had placed its party resolution above the Constitution, Parliament and the nation, and alleged vote-bank motives.
Congress leaders defended the historical practice and accused the BJP of using the dispute to distract from issues including paper leaks and electoral funding allegations.
- Who
- The Congress Working Committee and leaders including K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjun Kharge; BJP leaders Nitin Nabin, Sudhanshu Trivedi and Amit Shah also criticised the decision.
- What
- The CWC reaffirmed that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be sung at Congress events, prompting strong BJP criticism.
- When
- The CWC passed the resolution on Wednesday; BJP criticism was reported on Thursday, August 20.
- Where
- The policy applies to Congress forums and party events, including events at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi and a reported gathering in South Goa.
- Why
- Congress cited its 1937 resolution and historical practice, while the BJP said limiting the song showed disrespect and was motivated by vote-bank politics.
BJP Criticism
Congress Defense
Length of the song
BJP Criticism
The BJP said singing only two stanzas insulted Vande Mataram, Bharat Mata and the sacrifices associated with the song.
Congress Defense
Congress said its party events would follow the two-stanza practice established by its CWC in 1937.
National and constitutional loyalty
BJP Criticism
Sudhanshu Trivedi said Congress was placing its party resolution above the Constitution, Parliament and the nation. Nitin Nabin questioned the party’s patriotism and loyalty.
Congress Defense
Congress leaders defended the decision as one made by earlier national leaders and rejected the BJP’s characterisation of the policy.
Political motivation
BJP Criticism
The BJP alleged that Congress was compromising national self-respect to protect its vote bank and called it the “new Muslim League.”
Congress Defense
Congress leaders said the BJP was turning an emotional issue into a political dispute to distract from paper leaks, electoral funding allegations and other national matters.
- Congress policy
- Only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram will be sung at Congress forums and events.
- Historical basis
- Congress said the policy follows a CWC resolution dated October 28, 1937.
- Leaders cited
- Congress associated the 1937 discussion with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Patel and Maulana Azad.
- BJP criticism
- Nitin Nabin called Congress the “new Muslim League” and accused it of insulting Bharat Mata and freedom fighters.
- Constitutional criticism
- Sudhanshu Trivedi said Congress appeared to place its party resolution above the Constitution and laws made by Parliament.
- Congress response
- K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh defended the 1937 decision and said the BJP was distracting attention from other national issues.
- Earlier controversy
- BJP leaders criticised the rendition of Vande Mataram at an Independence Day event at the Congress headquarters; Congress dismissed an alleged objection to the full version as a coincidence.
Sources
'Congress has become new Muslim League': BJP chief Nabin as CWC backs two-stanza Vande Mataram
‘New Muslim League’: BJP slams Congress decision to recite only 2 stanzas of Vande Mataram
‘Party above nation for Congress’: BJP slams CWC’s Vande Mataram resolution
Cong to stick to 2-stanza Vande Mataram; BJP calls it 'New Muslim League'
