National Song Stanza Controversy Sparks Fierce Political Showdown Between Congress and BJP A sharp political controversy has broken out between the BJP and Congress over the singing of Vande Mataram stanzas. Union ministers have demanded an apology, while Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a strong counterattack. A fresh political confrontation has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress over the singing of the national song Vande Mataram and the number of its stanzas. The Congress party has adopted a distinct policy for its official gatherings, deciding that only two of the six stanzas will be sung during party functions. However, the party clarified that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram will be sung in official state events where the Congress is currently in power. Stanza Policy and the Goa Event Controversy The decision comes amid mounting accusations from the ruling party alleging disrespect toward the national song. Following controversy at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in New Delhi during Independence Day celebrations, a similar issue emerged during a party event in Goa. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was present at the Goa gathering, where only two of the six stanzas were sung instead of the complete version. BJP Demands Apology Over National Song Controversy Senior BJP leaders have strongly condemned the opposition party's stance. BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad criticized the Congress leadership, stating that it is deeply shameful for leaders of a party that claims the legacy of the freedom movement to show disrespect to Vande Mataram. He emphasized that there is no justification for such behavior and demanded an immediate apology. The row escalated further after video footage from August 15 showed Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge making gestures while workers were singing the full version at party headquarters. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the incident an insult to the national song and demanded a public apology from Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party. Mallikarjun Kharge Hits Back at BJP Leadership Responding to Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge delivered a sharp rebuttal. Kharge remarked that when he was elected as an MLA for the first time, Amit Shah was still a child, yet he is now attempting to give lessons on patriotism. Kharge further asserted that the ideological forebears of the BJP took no part in India's independence struggle, so the BJP has no standing to teach patriotism to the Congress party. Descendant of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Writes to Sonia Gandhi Adding a poignant dimension to the debate, Sumitro Chatterjee, a descendant of Vande Mataram composer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, expressed deep pain over the controversy in a letter addressed to Sonia Gandhi. In his letter, Sumitro Chatterjee noted that on the morning of August 15, 2026, marking the 80th anniversary of India's independence, events at the AICC headquarters were not only unfortunate but felt like the unabashed repetition of a historical error. He shared that repeated attempts to stop workers from singing the full version of his ancestor's immortal composition caused him immense grief. A Historic Milestone at the Red Fort In contrast to the political storm, the official celebrations at the Red Fort in Delhi marked a historic first. For the first time during the official Independence Day ceremony, the full version of Vande Mataram was performed. The national song was rendered at the opening of the event, followed immediately by the national anthem, after which Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument. What this means for you For Citizens Nationwide: This political clash highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the historical significance and protocol of the national song Vande Mataram across political forums. Questions & Answers 1. What is the new controversy regarding Vande Mataram? Congress decided to sing only 2 out of 6 stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events, leading to allegations of disrespect from the BJP. 2. What happened at the Goa Congress event? At a party event in Goa attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, only 2 stanzas of Vande Mataram were sung instead of the full version. 3. How did Mallikarjun Kharge respond to Amit Shah's demands? Kharge retorted that Amit Shah was a child when he first became an MLA, adding that BJP's ancestors did not fight in the freedom struggle so they should not lecture Congress on patriotism. 4. What did Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's descendant write in his letter? Sumitro Chatterjee wrote to Sonia Gandhi expressing deep anguish over attempts to stop the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the AICC headquarters on Independence Day. https://trendkia.com/en/politics/rashtrageet-ke-chhando-par-rajneetik-ghamasan-congress-aur-bjp-ke-beech-jubani-jang-tej-17874 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.