New Delhi, August 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
BJP National President Nitin Nabin on Thursday criticised the Congress Working Committee (CWC) for deciding to continue the practice of singing only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ at party programmes, accusing the opposition party of turning what he described as an “insult” to the national song into an official policy.
The BJP’s reaction came after the CWC on Wednesday resolved to follow the tradition established by a 1937 CWC decision, under which only the first two stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ are recited at Congress events.
The decision comes amid the Centre’s recent move to include the complete rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ in official protocol.
In a post on X, Nabin said the Congress had “formalised its insult into a resolution” by deciding that only the first two stanzas would be sung at its programmes.
The BJP president also referred to the controversy surrounding the Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters, where the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was played. BJP leaders had alleged that Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi appeared uncomfortable during the rendition and had attempted to stop the song from being played in full.
Nabin said Congress had initially dismissed the controversy as an isolated incident or coincidence, but the CWC resolution had now effectively made the same position an organisational policy.
“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 accused the Congress of disrespecting the national song and said the decision amounted to an affront to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country.
“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 chief further alleged that the Congress decision was motivated by electoral considerations and accused the party of 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 alleged.
Stepping up his attack, Nabin said: “The Congress has now become the new Muslim League of today.”
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