Congress has upheld spirit of Vande Mataram since 1896, says Kharge in sharp attack on BJP-RSS

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday marked the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram with a pointed attack on the BJP and RSS, accusing them of “glorifying their organisations over the nation.” He said the Congress has been the “proud flagbearer” of the national song since its first rendition at the 1896 Calcutta session.

Kharge claimed that the RSS has “never sung” Vande Mataram or the National Anthem in its shakhas, choosing instead to sing Namaste Sada Vatsale, which praises the organisation rather than the nation. He further alleged that the Sangh Parivar supported the British during India’s freedom movement and refrained from hoisting the national flag for over five decades.

The Congress chief recalled the song’s journey through India’s independence movement — from appearing in Lala Lajpat Rai’s publications and Bhikaji Cama’s flag to being included in Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil’s Kranti Geetanjali. He said Vande Mataram embodies Bharat Mata’s spirit and continues to symbolize India’s unity and diversity at every Congress gathering.

Kharge’s remarks came shortly after BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan accused the Congress of “deliberately removing” stanzas from Vande Mataram in 1937 under Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership — a claim the Congress dismissed as an attempt to distort history.