The BJP has stepped up its attack on the Congress over its decision to limit Vande Mataram to two stanzas, while announcing a nationwide campaign to highlight the song’s complete legacy.
BY PC Bureau
The BJP has escalated its political offensive against the Congress over the latter’s decision to sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at its events, arguing that the move strips the national song of an important part of its historical legacy.
At a party meeting, the BJP adopted a resolution pledging to uphold the “honour, national character and prestige” associated with the complete version of Vande Mataram. It said the song’s legacy could not be diluted or compromised to serve what it described as political interests or appeasement.
The party said it would take the issue beyond political exchanges and launch a nationwide awareness campaign highlighting the origins, meaning and historical importance of Vande Mataram. The campaign will also seek to challenge what the BJP describes as attempts to reduce the song’s national significance.
The BJP’s resolution on Vande Mataram is a reaffirmation that the symbols of our national consciousness cannot be reduced to the politics of the present.
Vande Mataram is not merely a song. It is the voice of India’s freedom struggle, the spirit of sacrifice and an enduring… https://t.co/IyRZM7si1E
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) August 22, 2026
READ: ‘Sacred’ in Delhi, Optional in Nagaland: BJP’s Vande Mataram Contradiction
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already attacked the Congress decision, calling it “anti-national” and accusing the party of returning to what he described as its traditional politics of appeasement.
At the same time, the BJP is preparing a broader political push aimed at Generation Z. A specialised team has been formed to coordinate the party’s engagement with young voters, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ministers and party leaders to interact directly with students at universities and government schools.
Party sources said the team will include BJP national president Nitin Nabin, national general secretaries Smriti Irani and Vinod Tawde, Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi and Chhattisgarh minister OP Choudhary, besides other leaders.
The Gen Z initiative is expected to focus on issues that matter to young people and create more opportunities for them to engage directly with BJP leaders. The party hopes the programme will help it understand and respond to the aspirations and concerns of a generation that is increasingly influential in electoral politics.
The move comes amid a wider battle among political parties to win over younger voters. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to address the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Pune, after similar youth-oriented events were held in Kota, Dehradun and Prayagraj.
