Kangana Ranaut shocked at Sharmila Tagore's ‘contrived’ remarks on Vande Mataram: Come out of Hindu Muslim mindset

Sharmila Tagore said that it is difficult to recite Vande Mataram for those who believe in one God.

Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore shared her views on the ongoing debate surrounding Vande Mataram and its different stanzas. She said that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram should be recited. Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has now reacted to the veteran actor's comments, calling it ‘limiting and contrived’. (Also read: ‘Don’t daydream about my jawani': Kangana Ranaut takes a sharp dig at Baba Ramdev, reminds him of SC case against him)

Kangana Ranaut has shared her views on Sharmila Tagore's comments.

What did Kangana say

Taking to her Instagram Stories on Thursday evening, Kangana posted a video of Sharmila Tagore commenting on Vande Mataram and wrote a long note beside it. It read, “I appreciate that Sharmila ji has spoken about her reservation about Vande Mataram but I am shocked as an artist how can her views on art and poetry can be so limited and contrived. In any poetry or song, words are metaphors, A poet uses all kinds of imaginations, draws unbelievable parallels to bring about the desirable effect.”

Kangana via Instagram Stories.

She added, “Vande Mataram is the spirit of freedom struggle. Bankim Chandra ji is compelling the nation to awaken the shakti within, how can you reduce such a great piece of art to mere religious practice? Vivekananda famously said I need youth who are made of iron, bones of steel, and veins in which run thunderbolt. He was not giving weather forecast, he was simply demanding shakti to rise. Please come out of Hindu Muslim mindset. Even if believe in one god, doctors also call power shakti. Lets embrace each other like our own. I absolutely love you and don't mind a crushing hug like you always give me.”

More details

Sharmila's remarks came a day after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) decided to follow its 1937 resolution under which only the first two stanzas of the national song would be sung at Congress programmes. A controversy also erupted during the Congress's Independence Day celebrations on August 15, when the BJP accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party parliamentary chairperson Sonia Gandhi of conversing while "Vande Mataram" was being rendered. The BJP had demanded an apology, while the Congress dismissed the incident as a coincidence.

Congress cites 1937 resolution

The Congress has defended its decision by citing the resolution adopted by its Working Committee in 1937.

After the CWC meeting, Congress MP K C Venugopal said the party's position on the recitation of "Vande Mataram" was clear and that it would follow the decisions taken by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1937.