Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday criticised the Congress Working Committee’s (CWC) decision to recite only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events, saying that the Congress’ refusal to honour the national song was “extremely regrettable” and that if someone refuses to honour it, “a question mark is placed on their patriotism as well.”
Shah’s charge that the party had insulted the National Song, asserting that it has always respected the song and accused the BJP of attempting to manufacture a political controversy . Singh said, “The resolution of 1937 that the Congress refers to was one that the Congress passed by bowing down to the radical demands of the Muslim League, and its consequence was witnessed by the country in the future in the form of partition. The decision followed days of controversy after the BJP accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party parliamentary chairperson Sonia Gandhi of conversing while the national song was being rendered during Independence Day celebrations on August 15 and demanded a public apology. Earlier reporting noted: The war of words escalated after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) decided to abide by the 1937 resolution of its highest decision-making body on Vande Mataram , stating that only two stanzas of the National Song would be sung at all party events henceforth.
In a post on X, Singh said, “The Congress’s refusal not only to honour Vande Mataram but to outright oppose it is extremely regrettable and, from a constitutional perspective, a very serious matter. Parliament is the supreme institution of the country, and any law passed by Parliament is binding on every individual, according to the Constitution of India. “Compromising with radical elements has always proven fatal for the country, and today, when the Congress is surrendering in the same manner to radical elements, it is a serious warning sign for the future of the country,” he said. The Union Minister further said, “I believe that this decision of the Congress is entirely unconstitutional and reprehensible, and from a political perspective, it is one that will create a serious crisis in the future. Earlier reporting noted: Vande Mataram row: What was Congress’ 1937 resolution The row over Vande Mataram intensified on Thursday (August 20, 2026) with Union Home Minister Amit Shah launching a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that its decision to sing only two stanzas was “anti-national” and intended to appease its vote bank in defiance of the law. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described BJP leaders as “fraudulent nationalists”.
Earlier reporting noted: The Congress strongly rebutted Mr.
