BJP National President Nitin Nabin criticized the Congress party on Thursday, calling it a “new Muslim League” over its stance on Vande Mataram.
The dispute highlights deep ideological divisions in New Delhi regarding national symbols and the perceived political appeasement of minority groups.
Nabin said the Congress party has become the new Muslim League after it decided to sing only the first two stanzas [1] of the song. The BJP leader's comments followed the party's adherence to a resolution from 1937 [2] that limits the length of the performance.
Other leadership within the BJP joined the criticism. Amit Shah said the decision by the Congress party is anti-national, appeasement, and a defiance of law [3].
The Congress party has maintained its position based on the historical resolution [2]. However, BJP leaders view the refusal to sing the full version as disrespectful to the national song.
The row intensified on Thursday [3] as both parties exchanged accusations in the capital. Nabin's comparison to the Muslim League, a political party historically associated with the demand for a separate state, underscores the severity of the rhetoric used in this latest clash.
While the Congress party views its 1937 resolution [2] as a matter of historical consistency, the BJP frames the move as a contemporary political strategy to alienate national symbols for electoral gain.
“"Congress has become the new Muslim League."”
This clash reflects a broader struggle over the definition of Indian nationalism. By invoking the Muslim League, the BJP is attempting to frame the Congress party's historical internal policies as contrary to national unity, while the Congress party relies on pre-independence precedents to justify its current practices.
