New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): Union Minister JP Nadda on Thursday slammed the Congress over its decision to adopt the singing of only two stanzas of 'Vande Mataram', alleging that the party's 1937 resolution was driven by "appeasement politics" and contributed to the circumstances that led to the Partition.
In a post on X, Nadda said the Congress' decision in 1937 to divide 'Vande Mataram' into two parts ''fuelled the two-nation theory and ultimately led to the partition of the country.'
"Citing its 1937 resolution, the Congress has decided to sing only two stanzas of 'Vande Mataram'. The nation must remember that in 1937, under the politics of appeasement, the Congress's decision to divide 'Vande Mataram' into two parts fuelled the two-nation theory and ultimately led to the partition of the country," Nadda said.
He said that the government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had "corrected this historical mistake" in the 150th year of 'Vande Mataram' by deciding to sing the composition in its entirety at official functions.
"Today, in the 150th year of 'Vande Mataram', the government under the leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has corrected this historical mistake by deciding to sing Bankim Babu's immortal creation in its entirety and giving a legal framework to singing it completely at all official functions," he said.
The former BJP chief accused the Congress of following a politics of "compromise, appeasement, and bowing down before divisive forces" since its inception.
"From the very beginning, the Congress has engaged in the politics of compromise, appeasement, and bowing down before divisive forces. It has consistently compromised on national morality, national values, and national sentiments. The Congress of that era stands as living proof of this," Nadda said.
Taking a swipe at the Congress' current position, he said the party continues to be guided by what he described as a "mindset of servitude and the politics of appeasement".
"Today, as the nation moves forward with self-respect taking the Panch Pran (Five Pledges) toward a Developed India (Viksit Bharat) in the Amrit Kaal post-independence, the Congress remains plagued by a mindset of servitude and the politics of appeasement," he said.
"Even today, it continues to compromise with national identity and pride," Nadda added.
He further said that people were aware of the Congress' "frustrated mindset" and would not forgive any party that, according to him, compromised the country's dignity and national identity.
"The people of the country are now fully aware of this frustrated mindset. The nation will never forgive a party that compromises with the country's dignity and national identity," Nadda said.
On Wednesday, the Congress Working Committee also decided that only the first two stanzas of the national song would be sung at party events, citing the party's 1937 resolution.
The decision followed days of controversy after the BJP accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party parliamentary chairperson Sonia Gandhi of conversing while the national song was being rendered during Independence Day celebrations on August 15 and demanded a public apology.
After the CWC meeting, Congress MP KC Venugopal said the party's stand on the recitation of Vande Mataram was clear and that it would follow the decisions taken by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1937.
Criticising Congress' stance, Amit Shah on Thursday launched a sharp attack, accusing the opposition party of reviving its "extreme policy of appeasement".
Shah told ANI that the decision was not merely symbolic but a repetition of a historical error that had contributed to the partition of India.
"Yesterday, the Congress Party Working Committee took a surprising and anti-national decision. Following their party's resolution of 1937, they have decided to sing only two stanzas of the great song, Vande Mataram. I want to remind the entire country that in 1937, for Muslim appeasement, the Congress party laid the foundation for the partition of the country by dividing Vande Mataram into two. From there, the two-nation theory gained strength and eventually, the country was partitioned, and Pakistan was born. Today, the Narendra Modi government has corrected that historical mistake in the 150th year of Vande Mataram's composition and tried to strengthen national integration by singing the entire song. The decision to sing it in full in all government functions has been given legal form as well. Yesterday, Congress decided to ignore it. This decision by Congress only confirms their extreme policy of appeasement. For vote-bank appeasement, they have not only insulted the immortal work of the late Bankim Babu, but also millions of martyrs who went to the gallows for the country's independence while chanting Vande Mataram, and spent many years in jail," he said. (ANI)
Congress' 1937 decision to divide Vande Mataram fuelled two-nation theory, led to Partition: JP Nadda
