‘Congress has become new Muslim League’: BJP chief Nabin as CWC backs two-stanza Vande Mataram

New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) BJP National President Nitin Nabin has slammed the decision of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to stick to playing only the first two stanzas of the ‘Vande Mataram’ at party programmes, and accused Congress of turning the “insult” to the national song into an official party position, calling it the “new Muslim League”.

The BJP’s reaction came after the CWC on Wednesday resolved to continue following a tradition established through a 1937 CWC decision, under which only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ are recited at Congress events. The decision assumes significance as the Centre has recently made the complete rendition of the national song part of official protocol.

Criticising the Congress decision in a post on X, Nabin said, “The Congress has now formalised its insult into a resolution. Its working committee has decided that only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ will be sung at Congress forums.”

The BJP chief also referred to the controversy that erupted during the Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters, where the full rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ was played. BJP leaders had alleged that Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi appeared “frustrated” during the rendition and had attempted to stop the song from being played in full.

Nabin argued that what Congress had earlier dismissed as an isolated incident or coincidence had now effectively been turned into an organisational policy through the CWC resolution.

“When, just a few days ago, this same insult had been exposed in the conduct of an individual, the Congress had dismissed it as a coincidence. Today, that very insult has become the Congress’s policy,” he said.

He further accused the Congress of disrespecting the national song and invoked the sacrifices of the freedom fighters.

“This insult to the sacred invocation of ‘Bharat Mata’ is a contempt for those thousands of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation, keeping this very song alive in their consciousness,” Nabin said.

The BJP president alleged that the Congress’s decision was driven by electoral considerations and accused the party of repeatedly compromising national sentiment to protect its vote bank.

“This is not merely a political defence, but proof of the hunger for that vote bank before which the Congress has repeatedly pawned the nation’s self-respect,” he added.

“The Congress has now become the new Muslim League of today,” the BJP chief stated.

–IANS

sd/