Sibal Questions Shah Over Modi, Vajpayee and Full Version of Vande Mataram

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s criticism of the Congress over its decision to sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, asking whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had ever sung the complete version of the national song.

Sibal’s remarks came amid an escalating political dispute over the manner in which Vande Mataram should be sung at official and party events. Shah had criticised the Congress Working Committee’s decision to sing only the first two stanzas, calling it “anti-national” and accusing the party of compromising on national sentiment for political considerations.

Responding to the Home Minister, Sibal questioned whether Modi, during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, and Vajpayee, when he was Prime Minister, had consistently sung all the stanzas of Vande Mataram. He also questioned whether BJP leaders who had not sung the complete version should similarly be branded as anti-national.

The former Union minister’s comments added another dimension to the ongoing confrontation between the BJP and Congress over the national song. Sibal argued that the issue should not be reduced to a test of patriotism based on whether an individual sings the entire composition.

The Congress has maintained that its decision to sing the first two stanzas has historical precedent. Party leader Jairam Ramesh has referred to a 1937 resolution that recommended singing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at national gatherings. According to the Congress, the decision was based on efforts made during the freedom movement to ensure that the song could be embraced by people belonging to different communities.

Shah, however, has strongly objected to the Congress position. He has accused the party of adopting what he described as a politically motivated approach towards a song that played an important role in India’s freedom struggle. The BJP has argued that Vande Mataram carries deep national significance and should be treated with due respect.

The dispute has consequently moved beyond the question of which portions of the song should be sung, becoming part of a broader political argument over nationalism and the legacy of the freedom movement.

Sibal’s intervention seeks to turn the BJP’s criticism back on its leaders by asking whether the same standard is applied consistently. His questions about Modi and Vajpayee are aimed at highlighting what he sees as a possible difference between the BJP’s current position and the practices followed by its own senior leaders in the past.