BJP tells Congress to drop freedom movement monopoly claim over Vande Mataram row
Synopsis
The Vande Mataram row has opened a new front in BJP–Congress hostilities, with the BJP accusing Congress of historical revisionism and vote-bank politics, while invoking a 1936–37 Muslim League pact to question the party's nationalist credentials. With state elections on the horizon, the battle over who owns India's freedom movement legacy is intensifying.
Key Takeaways
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on 18 August demanded Congress 'stop claiming monopoly as custodian of the freedom movement' over the Vande Mataram row.
The dispute stems from the conduct of Congress leaders during Vande Mataram's recitation at the party's Independence Day event at Indira Bhawan , New Delhi.
Prasad alleged a 1936–37 Congress–Muslim League pact restricted Vande Mataram to only two stanzas, a practice he said continues.
He cited Congress's opposition to the Triple Talaq Act , a walkout on Vande Mataram discussions, and opposition to Article 370 abolition as evidence of 'vote bank politics.' Prasad also clarified PM Modi's 'dimagi Naxal' remark, saying it targeted those providing intellectual and financial support to Maoism, not any named individual.
Congress is yet to formally respond to the specific charges raised at Tuesday's press conference.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, 18 August sharply escalated its attack on the Indian National Congress over the conduct of senior Congress leaders during the recitation of Vande Mataram at the party's Independence Day event at Indira Bhawan, the Congress headquarters in New Delhi. BJP leader and Member of Parliament Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded that Congress 'stop claiming monopoly as the custodian of the freedom movement.'
What Triggered the Row
The immediate trigger was the conduct of Congress leaders during the national song's recitation at the Indira Bhawan event. This came a day after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a party convention in Goa, questioning which of their leaders had participated in India's independence struggle.
Addressing a press conference, Prasad noted that only two stanzas of Vande Mataram were sung at Kharge's Goa event, calling the Congress's 'mentality' on the national song into question.
BJP's Historical Argument
Prasad invoked a contested historical claim, alleging that Congress entered a pact with the Muslim League in 1936–37, under which only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram were sung because, he alleged, the League argued the remaining stanzas would 'hurt its religious sentiments.'
He further pointed out that on 24 January 1950, Dr. Rajendra Prasad had formally declared Jan Gan Man as the national anthem and Vande Mataram as the national song in the Constituent Assembly. Prasad argued that Kharge's criticism of the freedom struggle credentials of BJP and RSS leaders amounted to disrespecting that legacy, asking: 'Whether Dr. Rajendra Prasad was a freedom fighter or not?'
He also observed that despite the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026, Congress was, in his view, still 'opposing' the full rendition of the national song.
Congress's Alleged Vote Bank Politics
Prasad alleged that Congress leaders were abandoning their own cultural roots due to 'vote bank politics.' He cited three specific instances to support this charge: Congress's opposition to the Triple Talaq Act, a walkout during parliamentary discussions on Vande Mataram, and opposition to the abolition of Article 370. 'The Congress backs out whenever issues related to national interest clash with vote bank,' he said.
Prasad also displayed a copy of the Constitution containing references to Lord Ram, Laxman, Goddess Sita, Lord Hanuman, and the Hindu deity Nataraj, directing a pointed question at Congress President Kharge and Sonia Gandhi: 'What do you have to say about this? Is this a disregard of religious sentiments?'
BJP Clarifies Modi's 'Dimagi Naxal' Remark
Separately, Prasad used the press conference to clarify Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'dimagi Naxal' remark made during his Independence Day address — a clarification that followed a similar one by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju two days earlier.
Prasad said the Prime Minister had not named any individual and was 'cautioning the country to be careful' of those who provide intellectual support to Maoism, write in their favour, or offer financial assistance. He noted that several opposition parties appeared to be 'competing to take the remark on themselves,' while observing that Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav had not done so.
What Comes Next
The exchange marks a fresh front in the political battle ahead of upcoming state elections, with both the BJP and Congress seeking to define the terms of patriotism and historical ownership of India's independence legacy. Congress is yet to formally respond to the specific charges raised by Prasad at Tuesday's press conference.
Point of View
Prasad is recycling a decades-old historical argument that conflates Congress's secular coalition-building with anti-nationalism, a framing that plays well in the BJP's electoral base but flattens a genuinely complex history. What the BJP's offensive conveniently sidesteps is that the two-stanza convention has roots in a Constituent Assembly consensus, not unilateral Congress capitulation. Meanwhile, the 'dimagi Naxal' clarification signals that the PM's remark landed harder than the government anticipated — two senior leaders clarifying the same line within days is a tell.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vande Mataram row between BJP and Congress?
The row centres on the conduct of Congress leaders during the recitation of Vande Mataram at the party's Independence Day event at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi. The BJP alleged that Congress leaders behaved disrespectfully toward the national song and that only two stanzas were sung at Congress President Kharge's Goa event the previous day.
What did BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad say about Congress and the freedom movement?
Prasad said Congress must 'stop claiming monopoly as the custodian of the freedom movement,' arguing the party's stance on Vande Mataram contradicts its claimed nationalist legacy. He invoked the example of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who declared Vande Mataram the national song in the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950, to counter Congress President Kharge's criticism of BJP and RSS leaders' freedom struggle credentials.
What is the historical claim BJP made about the 1936–37 Muslim League pact?
BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that Congress entered a pact with the Muslim League in 1936–37 under which only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram were sung, because the League claimed the remaining stanzas hurt its religious sentiments. Prasad argued this historical compromise explains Congress's current stance on the full rendition of the national song.
What did BJP clarify about PM Modi's 'dimagi Naxal' remark?
Prasad said Modi did not name any individual and was cautioning the country against those who provide intellectual support, write in favour of, or offer financial assistance to Maoism. The clarification followed a similar one by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju two days earlier, after several opposition parties objected to the remark made during Modi's Independence Day address.
How has Congress responded to BJP's charges?
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had, a day before the BJP press conference, criticised the BJP and RSS at a party convention in Goa, questioning which of their leaders fought for India's independence. Congress is yet to formally respond to the specific charges raised by Prasad on 18 August.
