Lyricist and screenwriter Manoj Muntashir Shukla on Friday, 18 September, criticised Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over the ongoing Vande Mataram row, asserting that the national song must be sung in its entirety. Muntashir made the remarks during his visit to Ujjain, where he had gone to offer prayers at the Mahakaleshwar Temple.

'The Leader of Opposition should refrain from such acts. Vande Mataram should be sung in its entirety,' Muntashir said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his temple visit. He was accompanied by his wife.

Background to the Controversy

The remarks come amid a simmering political debate over the manner in which Vande Mataram is being rendered at public and political events — specifically, whether only selected portions of the song are being used rather than the full composition. Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and became a powerful symbol of India's freedom movement before being accorded the status of the national song.

Notably, Muntashir has previously trained his criticism on Rahul Gandhi, including remarks about the Congress leader's proposed student outreach initiative. He had earlier described Gandhi's position as Leader of Opposition as a 'misfortune' and expressed hope that stronger opposition leadership would emerge in the future.

Muntashir on India's Cultural Identity

Beyond the Vande Mataram row, Muntashir also addressed the recurring political assertion that 'India does not belong to anyone's father,' tying the country's identity to its historical and cultural inheritance.

'People keep saying that India does not belong to anyone's father. I want to ask them whom they consider their father. The pride of the Suryavanshis has always been in our veins. The saffron sky has existed since Sanatan. We consider Shivaji and Guru Nanak as our fathers. India belonged to our forefathers, and it still does,' he said.

Praise for PM Modi

During the same interaction, Muntashir spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and singled out his spirit of service as the quality he admired most. 'There are many inspiring incidents from his life, but if I had to choose one quality, I would choose his spirit of service. He serves selflessly. I believe that if his entire life had to be summed up in one word, it would be 'service',' he said.

Political Context: Rahul Gandhi's Madhya Pradesh Visit

Muntashir's comments came a day ahead of Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Indore in Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress leader is set to address the party's student outreach programme, Chhatron Ki Goonj, on Saturday, 19 September. The timing of the remarks is likely to keep the Vande Mataram debate in the spotlight as Gandhi prepares for his Madhya Pradesh event.