BJP questions Congress' Vande Mataram stance, cites Jinnah's influence

Telangana BJP Chief Spokesperson NV Subhash slammed the Congress' decision to recite only two stanzas of Vande Mataram. He alleged the song was condensed in 1937 under the influence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the British.

Telangana BJP Chief Spokesperson NV Subhash on Friday questioned the Congress party's attitude over its decision to recite only two stanzas of Vande Mataram, saying the song was "condensed to two stanzas under the influence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the British" during the party's 1937 resolution.

BJP Condemns Congress Resolution

Speaking to ANI, Subhash said the BJP Telangana unit condemned the Congress Working Committee's resolution and questioned the party's approach to the national song. "BJP Telangana condemns the Congress Working Committee's resolution, which has been held, about only reciting two stanzas of Vande Mataram. The BJP Telangana questions the Congress party's attitude," he said. "During the 1937 resolution of the Congress Party, under the influence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the British, it was condensed to two stanzas," Subhash said.

He further described Vande Mataram as a national integration song that brings together people from all sections of society "This is a national integration song that unites all the people, all sections of society. Vande Mataram had been instrumental in the freedom struggle," Subhash added.

Congress Cites 1937 Resolution Amid Controversy

On Wednesday, the Congress Working Committee also decided that only the first two stanzas of the national song would be sung at party events, citing the party's 1937 resolution. The decision followed days of controversy after the BJP accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party parliamentary chairperson Sonia Gandhi of conversing while the national song was being rendered during Independence Day celebrations on August 15 and demanded a public apology.

At a meeting in October 1937 with leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Subhas Chandra Bose, the CWC decided to drop the later stanzas because their explicit Hindu imagery and context in Anandamath caused political controversy with the Muslim League.

On January 24, 1950, President Rajendra Prasad declared in the Constituent Assembly that Vande Mataram shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana (the National Anthem), though it holds the status of National Song, not National Anthem. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)