New Delhi, 9 December (H.S.): Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a strong attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the ongoing debate on Vande Mataram, asserting that it was the Congress that first popularized the chant as a symbol of national unity and resistance.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks in the House a day earlier, Kharge said that before targeting former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the BJP should “first learn its history.” He reminded the Treasury benches that Vande Mataram became a patriotic slogan under the Congress, which has always begun its major gatherings with its recitation.

“We challenge the BJP to follow the same tradition,” Kharge said sharply.Speaking during the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, Kharge added, “Congress leaders raised slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Mahatma Gandhi Ki Jai, and Vande Mataram, and went to jail for it. But BJP leaders of that time worked for the British.”

Kharge accused Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of repeatedly insulting Nehru and other Congress stalwarts. He clarified that the Congress Working Committee’s decision to restrict the singing of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas was a collective and pragmatic choice, not Nehru’s alone.

“By attacking Nehru, the BJP has insulted all members of that committee, including Rabindranath Tagore,” he said, demanding that the ruling party issue an apology to the nation “for disrespecting the patriots who gave their lives for India.”

Taking a dig at the current political context, Kharge claimed that the BJP’s “sudden love” for Vande Mataram was motivated by the upcoming Bengal elections. “Invoking Tagore’s name to divert attention from real issues will not work. The country wants answers—why is the rupee falling against the dollar, why are our relations with neighbours deteriorating, and why is Bangladesh moving closer to Pakistan while drifting away from India?” he asked.

At this point, Leader of the House J.P. Nadda intervened, saying, “We are ready to discuss any issue, but today’s debate is on Vande Mataram. We can talk about the economy and foreign policy later, but this session is dedicated to the national song.”

Despite the intervention, Kharge continued his speech. Referring to Modi’s remarks about a letter written by Subhas Chandra Bose, he accused the Prime Minister of misleading Parliament. “The truth is that on October 16, 1937, Netaji wrote to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore seeking guidance on the Congress’s position on Vande Mataram.he next day, he wrote to Nehru, suggesting that he personally meet Tagore to discuss the matter.”

Supporting Kharge’s statement, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva criticized the government for prioritizing this debate over more pressing national concerns. “The government initiated the Vande Mataram discussion marking its 150th anniversary but failed to stay in the House to participate. Neither the Leader of the House nor the Parliamentary Affairs Minister was present,” he said. “The government should not just stage discussions—it must engage in them as well.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar