New Delhi, Dec 11 (NationPress) The Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha, J.P. Nadda, escalated his criticisms of the Congress party on Thursday, alleging that its leaders have consistently downplayed the importance of Vande Mataram. During a focused discussion on national symbols, Nadda charged that former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath, had effectively "removed" Vande Mataram from official observance on the first working day of each month. He also claimed that in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah instructed Congress members not to perform Vande Mataram on Constitution Day.

Nadda’s comments were made amidst a broader dialogue on the song's historical and cultural importance, which has long been revered as a symbol of the freedom struggle. He argued that both historical and current Congress governments have displayed a reluctance to embrace Vande Mataram, despite its profound connection to India’s civilisational heritage. "This is not merely about the BJP, RSS, or Jan Sangh," Nadda stated, "but about words that have arisen from millennia of Indian history and are integral to our culture."

By referencing Kamal Nath’s decision in Madhya Pradesh, Nadda aimed to underscore what he termed as a calculated effort to weaken national sentiment. He reminded the House that the debate surrounding the song is not new, recalling that Jawaharlal Nehru voiced similar concerns in the 1930s when he labeled parts of the song as "absurd" or difficult for the average person to grasp.

Nadda contended that such attitudes have persisted into contemporary Congress politics, reflected in the actions of its state governments. His mention of Karnataka added a new layer to the discussion, as he criticized the Congress-led government there for also limiting the song’s performance in official contexts.

This exchange provoked strong reactions from opposition members, with Congress representatives accusing the BJP of twisting history and politicizing cultural symbols for electoral advantage. The discourse highlighted the ideological rift over national symbols, with the BJP portraying Vande Mataram as a timeless representation of patriotism, while Congress defended its leaders’ decisions as pragmatic and inclusive.

In conclusion, Nadda emphasized that the ongoing dialogue would only hold substantial meaning when Vande Mataram is given the same reverence as the National Anthem and the National Flag. He stressed that the song embodies India's cultural essence and merits equal acknowledgment.

In response, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh reminded the assembly that Dr. Rajendra Prasad had made a comparable statement in 1950, affirming that both the National Anthem and the National Song are to be held in equal regard. He added that this equality was explicitly recognized by the Constituent Assembly decades earlier.