Indus Valley Times

By Dalim Phukan

Guwahati, Aug 24 : Vande Mataram is not merely a national song; it is an immortal symbol of India’s freedom struggle, patriotism, sacrifice, national unity and civilisational consciousness. Deeply intertwined with the sacrifices and martyrdom of countless freedom fighters, its glorious legacy and dignity must be preserved. With this objective, the Bharatiya Janata Party has adopted an important resolution reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the honour and historical stature of Vande Mataram.

In a press statement issued yesterday from Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan, the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Assam Pradesh, party spokesperson Brajen Mahanta said that the BJP has strongly condemned the decision of the Congress Working Committee, taken on August 19, 2026, to limit the singing of Vande Mataram to only its first two stanzas at Congress programmes. 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.

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.