BJP targets Congress over Vande Mataram stanzas, announces nationwide campaign

The BJP passed a resolution criticising the Congress’ decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events. The party announced a nationwide campaign to highlight the national song’s history, significance and legacy while opposing any political compromise

New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday passed a resolution condemning the Congress’ decision to sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram and said that it would not accept any compromise on the honour of the national song for political convenience or appeasement.

The Congress could not override constitutional institutions or laws of the country, the BJP said in the resolution passed at a meeting of its new office-bearers here.

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The ruling party announced that it would launch a campaign to spread the significance of Vande Mataram to every corner of the country.

BJP president Nitin Nabin presided over the meeting and later shared the resolution on X.

The BJP resolution comes after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Wednesday decided to abide by its 1937 resolution on Vande Mataram, saying only two stanzas of the national song would be sung at all party events henceforth.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today, August 22, 2026, passed an important resolution regarding the respect for Vande Mataram and the protection of its historical legacy,” Nabin said.

The BJP “strongly condemns and unequivocally opposes” the August 19 decision of the CWC reaffirming its 1937 resolution, limiting the singing of Vande Mataram to only the first two verses at Congress functions, he said.

The BJP would oppose any attempt to subject the national song to “communal pressure, political appeasement or narrow vote-bank politics”, Nabin said.

“No compromise on the honour, legacy of Vande Mataram will be accepted for political convenience or appeasement,” he added.

Nabin said a resolution of the CWC could not override constitutional institutions or laws of the country.

A “political compromise” of 1937 could not be elevated above the constitutional settlement of 1950 and legislation enacted by Parliament in 2026, he said.

On July 30, Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026, which grants Vande Mataram the same legal status as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

Under the amended law, intentionally disrupting or preventing the singing of Vande Mataram is a criminal offence punishable with up to 3 years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.

The BJP president said his party would launch a campaign to spread the history, meaning, national significance and glorious heritage of Vande Mataram to every corner of India.

“BJP will protect the honour, dignity, heritage and national character of the Purna Vande Mataram,” he said.

The BJP said it would also disseminate Mahatma Gandhi’s statement in which he described Vande Mataram as an “anti-imperialist slogan” associated with the “purest national sentiment”.

It also resolved to launch an awareness campaign, especially among the younger generation, so that the complete national song, comprising six verses, and its history are not forgotten, and future generations can understand the memories of India’s independence associated with Vande Mataram, Nabin said.

“This is not merely a matter concerning a political party. It concerns the honour of Bharat and the legacy of countless patriots who sacrificed for the freedom of the nation,” he said.

“The BJP calls upon every citizen to remember that the words Vande Mataram were once powerful enough to frighten an empire. The British sought to suppress them because they awakened resistance. Generations of Indians carried them as a mantra of freedom, sacrifice and national pride.

“That legacy cannot be reduced to the calculations of contemporary vote-bank politics,” he said.

Nabin said Vande Mataram, which echoed as the call for freedom in 1947, would continue to resonate in the vision of a developed India by 2047.

The BJP earlier this week announced a new national team under Nabin, comprising 65 office-bearers, including 51 new faces.

Saturday’s meeting focused on preparations for upcoming state assembly elections, grassroots mobilisation and communicating government initiatives to the public, according to party sources.