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Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao has accused the Congress party of failing to follow the law of the land regarding the full rendition of the national song, Vande Mataram, at government functions. Speaking on September 13, Rao stated that the song must be respected and alleged that the Congress party continues to object to its full performance, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rao claimed that the full rendition of all six stanzas is a requirement established by Parliament, and that opposition to this practice constitutes an insult to national honour. His comments follow a broader political debate regarding the song, which intensified after Congress general secretary KC Venugopal stated on September 8 that the complete version of Vande Mataram sits uneasily with the pluralist ethos envisioned by India’s freedom fighters. Venugopal urged party allies to respect the version adopted by the Congress in 1937, which included only the first two stanzas.
In Karnataka, BJP MLA CN Ashwath Narayan also criticized the Congress, accusing the state government of attempting to politicize a national symbol. Narayan argued that once a decision is made in Parliament, it is binding on all state governments.
The debate has also surfaced in Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently stated that while his party has not adopted Vande Mataram and does not intend to do so, the government would comply with legal obligations to perform the song at official functions. Abdullah noted that the protocol for government functions nationwide requires the performance of all verses, and failure to comply would result in action. This followed an incident on September 9 where Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah stood during the full rendition of the song at the International Film Festival in Srinagar.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has previously criticized the Congress for its adherence to the 1937 position, accusing the party of engaging in appeasement politics. Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur also alleged that the Congress has historically opposed the full version of the song.
Article and image source: pakistantelegraph.com
