New Delhi, August 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Opposition parties in the INDIA bloc on Saturday criticized the BJP over its resolution on Vande Mataramaccusing the ruling party of using the national song controversy to divert public attention from issues such as inflation and unemployment.
The BJP adopted the resolution amid a political row over the conduct of senior Congress leaders during the rendition of Vande Mataram at an Independence Day event and the Congress Working Committee's decision to continue restricting the song's rendition at party programs to its first two stanzas.
The BJP resolution strongly defended the national song's honour, dignity and historical legacy.
Congress leader Harish Rawat alleged that the BJP was focusing on Vande Mataram to shift attention from concerns being raised by younger generations.
“The BJP is trying to make Vande Mataram an issue because the real issues are those raised by Gen Z. Gen Alpha is also raising issues of inflation and unemployment. To divert attention from these questions, some emotional issues are being raised,” Rawat told IANS.
He also said Vande Mataram was associated with the history of the Congress.
Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi similarly accused the BJP of diverting attention from economic challenges.
“A new team (of the BJP) that has come into place should be concerned about the economic challenges that the country is facing and should be showing its vision for how to take India forward. Instead, it is trying to divert the nation's attention towards a controversy that does not need the kind of mileage that they are seeking,” she said.
Chaturvedi added that the BJP was pursuing the issue for political gains and said its resolution should instead have focused on “India first”.
Congress MP Tariq Anwar referred to the party's historical position on the song, saying the Congress Working Committee had adopted a resolution in 1937 following advice from Rabindranath Tagore. He said Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and other prominent leaders of the freedom struggle were present when it was decided that the two undisputed stanzas should be sung.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the party's position was clear regarding its own functions: the established practice is to sing two stanzas of Vande Mataram. However, he said that at a national or government function, participants would stand for the entire rendition depending on what is played.
CPI National General Secretary D. Raja said Parliament had already held a detailed discussion on the national song and accused the BJP of refusing to accommodate differing political views.
“After all, we are a multi-party democracy. Every party has its own view, and it should be considered, but BJP thinks whatever it says should be accepted by all political parties,” Raja said.
He also pointed to the Congress and CPI's historical role in the freedom struggle, arguing that the BJP should not claim a monopoly over nationalism and patriotism.
Shiv Sena-UBT MP Arvind Sawant went further, accusing the BJP of using the controversy to create divisions between communities.
“Those who have not sung Vande Mataram and those who did not participate in the freedom struggle have no right to raise questions,” Sawant said, alleging that the issue was being used to create “hatred” between Hindus and Muslims.