Congress MP Shashi Tharoor speaks in the Lok Sabha during the special sitting of the Budget Session 2026, during a debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill and delimitation, in New Delhi on April 17, 2026. (IANS/Sansad TV File Photo)
New Delhi, June 2 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday hit out at Congress MP Shashi Tharoor after the latter said that Vande Mataram was being "unnecessarily imposed" by the Centre. The BJP leaders accused Congress of indulging in vote bank politics and turning into a "Muslim League Maoist" party.
Addressing reporters on Monday, Tharoor said that having to sing the all five verses of the national song every time, was an "unnecessary imposition" by the Central government. He backed the Congress-led Kerala government's decision not to play the full national song.
On the contradictory view taken by Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, the Congress MP said: "I am afraid it may end up having to be adjudicated. There is no such law passed by the Parliament that specifies any such requirement. It is more a convention."
He called the controversy surrounding the national song as "unfortunate" and asserted that there is no problem in singing Vande Mataram but standing for the entire duration of the five stanzas in both the beginning and end of a public event turns difficult for the attendees.
Reacting on Tharoor's remarks, BJP leader Rohan Gupta said that it is "unfortunate that a leader of a national party is saying that Vande Mataram is being enforced".
"This shows the mindset of the Congress that they indulge in vote bank politics and keep the interests of their party above the country," he told IANS.
Asking Congress leaders to refrain from making remarks about the national song, Gupta added: "Congress should not do politics on Vande Mataram."
BJP spokesperson Ujjwal Deepak said: "Shashi Tharoor should understand that the Congress promoted the initial two stanzas of the song and removed the main stanzas, which contained the main lines of the song."
He asserted that it is the BJP which has brought back the nation's old glory and culture.
"Shashi Tharoor should go back into history to know how Congress has always attempted to erase the country's rich and prosperous tradition," he added.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged: "Congress has surrendered itself to the Muslim League. The party is a Muslim League Maoist Congress."
He also alleged that the "remote control" of the Congress-led Kerala government is in the hands of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
"Congress has never been irritated by supporting the 'Tukde Tukde lobby'. Because the policy and intention of the Congress Party is not patriotism, but 'anti-nation'," he told IANS.
