Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday criticised the Congress Working Committee’s decision concerning the rendition of only part of Vande Mataram, calling it an insult to national sentiment and the sacrifices of freedom fighters.
Speaking to the media, Dhami alleged that the decision reflected an “anti-national mindset” and said Vande Mataram was not merely a song but an expression of patriotism and the emotions associated with India’s freedom struggle.
He accused the Congress of having previously “divided” Vande Mataram for what he described as appeasement politics and alleged that the party was repeating the same approach decades after Independence.
Dhami said millions of Indians associate the song with the freedom movement and with revolutionaries who sacrificed their lives for the country. He questioned whether political considerations could justify compromising with national sentiment and India’s cultural heritage.
The Chief Minister also linked the issue to the religious and cultural references contained in the full rendition of Vande Mataram. He said Uttarakhand, known as Devbhoomi, has a deep tradition of reverence for deities including Nanda-Sunanda, Dhari Devi, Purnagiri and Jwalpa Devi.
Dhami said remembering and worshipping deities was an integral part of India’s cultural traditions and questioned whether political interests should take precedence over these sentiments.
{{/usCountry}}Dhami said remembering and worshipping deities was an integral part of India’s cultural traditions and questioned whether political interests should take precedence over these sentiments.
{{/usCountry}}He also said political parties and citizens had a responsibility to respect laws enacted by Parliament and democratic institutions. Opposition to such laws, he said, amounted to disregarding the sentiments of citizens.
Dhami called on Congress to explain its position on Vande Mataram and questioned why it was allegedly moving against the spirit of freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for India’s independence.
He said Vande Mataram remained a symbol of the struggle and patriotism of freedom fighters whose sacrifices contributed to the country’s Independence.
Congress defends decision, cites 1937 resolution
Congress has defended the decision to sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at its events, citing a resolution adopted by the Congress Working Committee in 1937. Congress MP K C Venugopal said the party would continue to follow the position taken by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the time.
He also accused the BJP of turning a song associated with the freedom struggle into a political issue, saying the party was using the controversy to divert attention from issues such as paper leaks, alleged donation irregularities and the reported Chinese incursion in Arunachal Pradesh.
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad also challenged BJP leader Nitin Nabin to publicly recite the complete version of the song. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the BJP should instead ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to sing all six stanzas publicly, arguing that the 1937 decision was taken before Independence and followed the advice of Rabindranath Tagore.