Vande Mataram row: Mayawati urges political parties to focus on public welfare issues

New Delhi, Aug 21
Amid the ongoing debate in the country over the singing of Vande Mataram, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday said the politics surrounding whether the full song, only its first two stanzas, or none of it should be sung was 'not right'.

Mayawati took to social media 'X' and wrote in Hindi (loosely translated), "The ongoing politics in the country right now regarding whether to sing the full "Vande Mataram", or just the first two stanzas (paragraphs), or not to sing it at all - this is not right, and in this matter, our party's stance is that the recent law passed in Parliament on singing 'Vande Mataram' is not happening for the first time."

Mayawati further said that during changes in power, all parties keep doing this sort of thing.

"Because during changes in power at the centre and in the states, all parties keep doing this sort of thing based on their political interests/benefits or to divert the public's attention from their own shortcomings - that is, they keep changing each other's enacted laws," she said in the post.

Mayawati further said that the Central and state governments, along with political parties, should instead focus on issues concerning the country and public welfare.

"Whereas at this time, the central and all state governments, as well as all political parties, should properly pay appropriate attention to issues concerning the country and public interest - and especially to unemployed youth and male-female students of Gen Z, schoolchildren of Gen Alpha, and the severe loss of life and property due to the devastating floods that have struck some parts of the country right now, among many other extremely important issues - this is also the most urgent demand of the times in the current interest of the country and the people," she added.

The latest controversy between the BJP and Congress over Vande Mataram began on August 15. The BJP shared a video of Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters, alleging that Sonia Gandhi attempted to stop the full rendition of Vande Mataram and that Rahul Gandhi appeared uncomfortable during the performance.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, however, rejected the allegations, maintaining that the entire song was sung. He clarified that Sonia Gandhi's gesture was not intended to stop the rendition but was a request for a chair for Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) also decided to adhere to its 1937 resolution under which only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be sung at party events.

The BJP accused the Congress of insulting the national song and launched a sharp attack on the opposition party, alleging that it had become a "new Muslim League".