Parliament above all, says Sambit Patra as BJP attacks congress over Vande Mataram
The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress of indulging in "appeasement politics" over Vande Mataram and said no party or individual was bigger than the Constitution or the laws made by Parliament.
The BJP's first meeting of the newly appointed office-bearers under national president Nitin Nabin passed a resolution on Vande Mataram, days after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) reaffirmed its 1937 decision to sing only the first two stanzas of the song at party programmes.
The saffron party's resolution condemned the Congress's decision and said that it will not accept any compromise on the honour of the national song for political convenience or appeasement.
It will not allow the opposition party to "divide" or "tamper" with the national song, the party said.
The BJP further said its resolution was a direct response to the Congress's position and vowed to launch a nationwide campaign to defend the song's full legacy.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, BJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra said the Congress should not consider itself or its working committee bigger than Parliament.
"Today, I want to ask the country: Is Parliament bigger or is the CWC bigger? Will the country function on the basis of decisions taken in Parliament, or on the basis of decisions and resolutions passed by the CWC?" he said.
Patra said no political party, family or individual was above the Constitution and laws passed by Parliament.
"No family, no political party, no individual, no person should think that he is bigger than the law of the country, the Constitution of the country and the laws made by Parliament," he said.
"The CWC, sitting inside its office, should not consider itself bigger than Parliament. Parliament is the supreme temple of democracy. Whatever decision is taken inside Parliament is the decision of the country," he added.
He accused the Congress of trying to create a controversy over Vande Mataram for political appeasement and said the BJP would oppose any attempt to obstruct its singing.
"Vande Mataram is the song of the nation. It is the mantra of the nation. It is not a means of creating a divide between Hindus and Muslims," Patra said. Referring to the CWC resolution, he said the BJP would not allow the Congress to revive the "politics behind the 1937 decision".
"The Congress is trying to sow the seeds of division. We will not allow this to happen," he said.
Patra further attacked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the August 15 event at the party's headquarters, alleging that Sonia Gandhi gestured to stop the singing of Vande Mataram after two stanzas.
The Congress has maintained that Sonia Gandhi was seeking a chair for party president Mallikarjun Kharge, while the BJP has been invoking the episode to intensify its attack on the opposition party.
"What we saw was inappropriate. A law has been passed only a few days ago that we cannot insult national honour like Vande Mataram. As far as I know, an FIR has already been filed. I am sure the law will take its course," Patra said.
Patra said the BJP would take the issue to the grassroots and seek to explain the significance of Vande Mataram, particularly to young people.
Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the same legal protection to Vande Mataram that is afforded to the national anthem. The Bill makes it an offence to intentionally prevent the singing of the national song or to cause a disturbance to an assembly engaged in its singing.
