Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his criticism of the Congress Working Committee’s decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram.
Sibal questioned whether BJP leaders had themselves regularly sung the complete version of the national song at official or private functions since 1950. He specifically referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure as Gujarat chief minister and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In a post on X, Sibal asked whether leaders who did not sing the full version could also be labelled “anti-national”. He accused the BJP of using the controversy for political purposes.
Sibal questions BJP’s position
Sibal’s comments came in response to Shah’s sharp criticism of the Congress decision.
The Independent Rajya Sabha MP asked whether the BJP had sung all the stanzas of Vande Mataram at its private or official functions since 1950. He also questioned whether Modi, during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister, and Vajpayee, while serving as prime minister, had sung the complete version.
Sibal said that if BJP leaders had not done so, the same standard should apply to them as well.
His remarks were aimed at challenging Shah’s description of the Congress decision as “anti-national” and questioning what he called the political selectivity surrounding the issue.
Amit Shah attacks Congress decision
The controversy intensified on Thursday after Shah launched a strong attack on the Congress over the CWC’s decision.
Shah alleged that choosing to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram was “anti-national” and accused the Congress of taking the decision to appease its vote bank.
The Home Minister also argued that the party’s position was contrary to the significance attached to the national song and criticised Congress leaders for deciding against singing its full rendition.
Congress defends two-stanza rendition
The Congress has rejected the allegations and defended the decision on historical grounds.
Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh called BJP leaders “fraudulent nationalists” while responding to Shah’s criticism.
Ramesh said the Congress decision was based on the historical position adopted during the freedom movement. He referred to a 1937 resolution that recommended singing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at national gatherings.
According to Ramesh, the recommendation reflected the considered position of several prominent leaders of the freedom struggle.
The latest exchange follows the Congress Working Committee’s decision on Wednesday to restrict the rendition of Vande Mataram at its gatherings to two stanzas rather than the complete composition.
The decision has since become a fresh point of confrontation between the Congress and BJP, with both parties accusing each other of taking politically motivated positions.
The BJP has questioned the Congress’ commitment to the national song, while the Congress has maintained that its decision is consistent with the historical circumstances surrounding its use at national gatherings.
Historical significance of Vande Mataram
Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Vande Mataram played an important role during India’s freedom struggle and subsequently became one of the country’s most prominent national symbols.
The complete composition contains several stanzas, while the first two have traditionally been used at public and national gatherings.
The Congress has cited the 1937 decision while explaining why it continues to support the rendition of the first two stanzas in such settings.
The disagreement has nevertheless brought renewed attention to the historical context surrounding the song and the different positions taken over its rendition.
Sibal’s intervention has added another dimension to the controversy, with the veteran politician questioning whether the BJP has consistently followed the standard it is now applying to the Congress.
The dispute over Vande Mataram comes amid a broader political battle over nationalism, the freedom movement and the use of national symbols in contemporary politics.
While the Congress has defended its CWC decision by citing historical precedent, the BJP continues to question the move and has accused the opposition party of compromising on matters of national importance.
The exchange between Sibal and Shah is likely to keep the issue in the political spotlight as both parties seek to defend their respective positions on the rendition and significance of Vande Mataram.
(With inputs from PTI)
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