Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 23 (ANI): Assam Pradesh party spokesperson Brajen Mahanta said that the BJP has strongly condemned the decision of the Congress Working Committee to limit the singing of Vande Mataram to only its first two stanzas at Congress programmes.
As per the release, he asserted that the historical significance of Vande Mataram, which is intrinsically linked to India’s national pride, cannot be subjected to political appeasement, communal pressure or narrow vote-bank considerations.
In a press statement issued today from Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan, the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Assam Pradesh, Mahanta said that the history of Vande Mataram should not be confined within the narrow framework of contemporary political controversy; rather, it must be understood in its complete historical context.
According to historical records, Vande Mataram was sung for the first time at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1896. The session was presided over by the prominent Muslim leader Rahimtulla M Sayani. In the years that followed, the song became deeply associated with India’s freedom movement and played a significant role in awakening national consciousness and mobilising the people against British imperial rule.
Historical records also indicate that Vande Mataram was sung at the 1923 Congress session presided over by Maulana Mohammad Ali Johar, despite objections being raised. Against this backdrop, Mahanta posed a natural and significant question before the Congress leadership: if Vande Mataram had been sung in its entirety at various Congress sessions from 1896 until 1937, what changed in 1937 that led to a decision to omit certain portions of the song?
“The Congress must place before the people of India the complete history behind the curtailment of the legacy of Vande Mataram,” he said.
Mahanta added that this question concerns far more than the stanzas of a song. It is intrinsically linked to the history of national unity, patriotism and political decision-making during India’s freedom struggle. During the anti-partition movement in Bengal in 1905, Vande Mataram emerged as a powerful expression of patriotism, uniting large sections of Indians against British rule and inspiring the spirit of national resistance.
“The history of India’s freedom struggle cannot be interpreted according to the political convenience or vote-bank calculations of any party,” Mahanta said. He added that issues such as the 1916 Lucknow Pact, the Congress’s politics surrounding the Khilafat Movement, and the party leadership’s subsequent approach towards various communal demands should be placed before the people on the basis of historical records and authentic sources.
He further stated that the time has come to present the truth and the complete historical context to the younger generation, rather than concealing history or presenting it selectively for political convenience. The Congress leadership, he said, should clarify before the nation the full background behind the decisions taken during 1937-38, with reference to Jawaharlal Nehru’s collected works, historical Congress records and the political correspondence of that period.
Mahanta asserted that no resolution passed by the working committee of a political party can override India’s constitutional framework, constitutional institutions or laws enacted by Parliament. A political disagreement or decision of 1937, he said, cannot be placed above the constitutional order established in 1950 and the subsequent legal framework of the Republic.
He further noted that on January 24, 1950, Constituent Assembly President Rajendra Prasad declared that Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana would be accorded equal honour. Through this resolution, the BJP has once again reaffirmed its resolve to uphold the honour, dignity, historical legacy and national significance of Vande Mataram.
The party has particularly called for nationwide initiatives to raise awareness among the younger generation about the history of Vande Mataram, its role in India’s freedom struggle and its enduring national significance.
Mahanta expressed the belief that carrying the history of the freedom movement to the younger generation is not the responsibility of any one political party alone; rather, it is the moral responsibility of every patriotic citizen. The spirit of sacrifice, struggle and patriotism associated with Vande Mataram, he said, will continue to inspire young Indians to contribute towards building a strong, self-reliant, prosperous and nationally proud India.
He further asserted that no compromise would be made with the honour and historical legacy of Vande Mataram for political expediency, appeasement or vote-bank calculations. Respect for national heritage, he said, is not a partisan issue; it is deeply connected with India’s civilisational identity and the sentiments of crores of its citizens.
“At one time, the resounding cry of Vande Mataram challenged British imperialism and awakened the aspirations for freedom and national consciousness among Indians. That timeless expression of patriotism continues to inspire India’s unity, national pride and progress,” Mahanta said.
Describing Vande Mataram as an eternal source of inspiration connecting the glory of India’s past, the national consciousness of its present and the aspirations of a developed future, Mahanta said that the same Vande Mataram which resonated as a clarion call for freedom in 1947 will continue to inspire the younger generation in the journey towards building a strong, prosperous, self-reliant and developed India.
He added that, in harmony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the timeless spirit of Vande Mataram will continue to motivate future generations to contribute to the making of a stronger and more developed India. (ANI)
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