BJP Slams Cong for Opposing Bill Giving Statutory Protection to Vande Mataram

The government has listed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill -- which seeks to give the national song Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as the national anthem Jana Gana Mana -- for introduction in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session beginning July 20.

A bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said the Bill has been listed for introduction, consideration and passing. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that instead of welcoming the move and celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram, the Congress has a problem with it.

"Congress and its ecosystem hate Vande Mataram. The government is bringing the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act in order to give Vande Mataram, as the national song, the same respect given to the national flag and the national anthem. But instead of welcoming this, instead of celebrating the 150 years of Vande Mataram, Congress has a problem with it," he said in a video statement.

Poonawalla alleged that the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, divided the national song into two parts under pressure from the Muslim League, and that several Congress leaders refused to sing even the first two stanzas.

"Nehru ji divided the song into two parts. Congress and many of its leaders refused to sing Vande Mataram even when there were only the first two stanzas. Whether it is Siddaramaiah, the Madhya Pradesh Congress, or Sonia Gandhi, we have seen that they have a hatred towards Vande Mataram," he said.

The BJP spokesperson claimed that while the Congress "eulogises" Naxals and has a "soft corner" for terrorists, it continues to display hatred towards Vande Mataram.

"Even now, they hate Vande Mataram; this shows their mindset. They can eulogise Hidma, say 'Naxali shaheed hai' (Naxals are martyrs); they can have a soft corner for terrorists like Afzal and Yakub. But when it comes to Bharat Mata and Vande Mataram, they have a problem. This shows that it is not the INC, Indian National Congress, but ANC, Anti-National Congress," he said.

"Back then, they opposed Vande Mataram under pressure from the Muslim League. Today, they continue to oppose Vande Mataram because they are in alliance with the Muslim League in Kerala," he added.