BJP Kerala chief accuses State Govt of ‘deliberately’ omitting Vande Mataram at I-Day events

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar claimed on Sunday that the state administration purposefully chose to exclude the national song, Vande Mataram, from official Independence Day ceremonies. Warning of potential ramifications, Chandrasekhar asserted, “we can't let it go like that,” warning both “political and legal consequences”.

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Chandrasekhar noted that Vande Mataram was performed during official state events in Congress-governed Karnataka and Telangana, as well as in Himachal Pradesh, yet was omitted in Kerala. He claimed the decision originated from the "control" exercised over the state government by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Chandrasekhar further targeted Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, criticising her alleged opposition to reciting the full version of Vande Mataram during the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Independence Day function held in New Delhi a day prior.

Expressing sharp disapproval over the incident in New Delhi, he said, “A woman who has been accepted by this country, when she tries to stop the singing of Vande Mataram, it shows what their politics, interests and aim are. We need to understand that. They will stoop to any level for political gain.”

Meanwhile, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam demanded an apology from the Congress leadership for allowing the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the AICC headquarters event. Speaking to media persons, Viswam asserted that no secular party dedicated to the nation could accept Vande Mataram as the official national song.

“When the BJP government tries to replace the national anthem with Vande Mataram, which is an RSS favourite, a stand must be taken against it. Even if it is a favourite of the RSS or BJP, India cannot accept it as the country's national song or anthem,” Viswam contended.

He highlighted that the complete song was recited in the presence of senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi without any formal objection.

Addressing reports regarding non-verbal reactions, Viswam remarked that even if Sonia Gandhi had indicated reservations through gestures, “what we saw was the song being sung in full”.

Viswam argued that the Congress party failed to grasp the political nuances surrounding the song, observing that beyond the opening two stanzas, the remaining verses exalt deities associated with a single religion, creating apprehension among a substantial section of citizens. He added that if the Congress purports to follow the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, “then what happened was a big mistake,” adding, “The Congress needs to apologise for it.”
Chandrasekhar countered that official oath-taking duties were compromised by issuing a circular to bypass the national song:

“The state government violated the Constitution and the rule of law. It issued a circular not to sing the national song. There will be consequences for this deliberate violation by the government. It could be legal, political or both,” Chandrasekhar claimed.

He alleged that the decision highlighted the influence of the IUML and Jamaat-e-Islami, asserting that these outfits were attempting to introduce divisive tactics. He affirmed that the BJP and its youth wing, Yuva Morcha, would actively resist these moves across the state.

PTI