BJP, Tharoor clash over Vande Mataram amendment: 'disdain' vs 'practicality'
New Delhi: The BJP and Congress are at loggerheads over a new amendment requiring the full rendition of "Vande Mataram" at official functions. The dispute was triggered by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's remarks questioning the practicality of the requirement.
In a post on X, Tharoor said the President has assented to the amendment, which was passed in Parliament without discussion. He noted that while the national anthem "Jana Gana Mana" requires audiences to stand for 52 seconds, the full "Vande Mataram" takes three minutes and ten seconds. He also mentioned that Tamil Nadu has decided to play the state song in Tamil before both, adding another two minutes, making a total of six minutes per event.
"Do we really expect audiences to stand still and respectfully for six minutes before and after every function, a total of 12 extra minutes? Can respect and patience be legislated?" Tharoor asked. He clarified that he respects both songs and can sing the first two stanzas of "Vande Mataram" as well as the entire anthem, but he fears the bill's intent to promote respect may not be achieved.
BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan countered that Tharoor's remarks were "callous" and "dishonour" the sacrifices of freedom fighters. "Senior Congress leader states that the full original rendition of Vande Mataram, which takes 3 minutes and 10 seconds, is too lengthy for people to stand through respectfully and patiently," Kesavan posted on X.
"Is this not extremely ironic coming from the servile Congress party, which for more than 75 long years has patiently and sycophantically been kowtowing to the Nehru-Gandhi first family?" he added, accusing the Congress of "bitter disdain" for the song. He cited a 1948 letter by Jawaharlal Nehru to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, in which Nehru said the song's tune was not suitable for foreign orchestras. Kesavan described Nehru's mindset as "Macaulay colonial" and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring the song is sung in its full form at public events.
The amendment, which requires the full national song at the start and end of official functions, has been signed into law by President Droupadi Murmu. It was passed without detailed parliamentary debate, according to Tharoor. The Congress party has not issued an official response, and Tharoor's comments are in his personal capacity.
"Vande Mataram," composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, played a key role in India's independence movement. The first two stanzas were adopted as the national song in 1950. The full song, with five stanzas, is seldom sung in public. The new rule has sparked debate over the balance between respect for national symbols and practical considerations.
