Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday criticised the Congress Working Committee's (CWC) decision to recite only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events, saying that the Congress' refusal to honour the national song was "extremely regrettable" and that if someone refuses to honour it, "a question mark is placed on their patriotism as well."
In a post on X, Singh said, "The Congress's refusal not only to honour Vande Mataram but to outright oppose it is extremely regrettable and, from a constitutional perspective, a very serious matter. According to the Constitution of India, Parliament is the supreme institution of the country, and any law passed by Parliament is binding on every individual.""If someone refuses to abide by it, their loyalty to the Constitution certainly comes under suspicion, and if someone refuses to honour the national song, a question mark is placed on their patriotism as well," he added.
Singh said, "The resolution of 1937 that the Congress refers to was one that the Congress passed by bowing down to the radical demands of the Muslim League, and its consequence was witnessed by the country in the future in the form of partition."
"Compromising with radical elements has always proven fatal for the country, and today, when the Congress is surrendering in the same manner to radical elements, it is a serious warning sign for the future of the country," he said.
The Union Minister further said, "I believe that this decision of the Congress is entirely unconstitutional and reprehensible, and from a political perspective, it is one that will create a serious crisis in the future."
"By opposing Vande Mataram, the Congress has revealed its foolish and dangerous intentions to the country," Singh added.
On Wednesday, the Congress Working Committee 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.
