Centre under pressure on Vande Mataram, poll reforms, says Rahul Gandhi

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday (December 12) told Congress MPs that the Centre was under pressure from the Opposition on both the Vande Mataram and election reforms issues in the House.

Rahul made the remarks during a meeting, which he chaired, with Congress Lok Sabha MPs. During the meeting, he also heard the views of the party legislators besides taking their feedback, reported PTI, quoting sources.

‘Congress successful in raising key issues’

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said the party discussed during the meeting that it had successfully raised the current issues of the people, such as IndiGo flight disruptions, air pollution, and the labour codes issue.

Also Read: War of words in Rajya Sabha as Nadda tears into Nehru over ‘Vande Mataram’

"It was also discussed how during the debate on 150 years of Vande Mataram, Mallikarjun Kharge Ji in the Rajya Sabha and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ji in the Lok Sabha brought the truth before the people and blunted the intentions of politicising the issue," Gogoi added.

Congress' chief whip, K Suresh, said it was a routine meeting that Gandhi holds every session to evaluate MPs' performance and to hear their views and feedback.

Amit Shah slams Congress over ‘Vande Mataram’

The Congress and the BJP had been at loggerheads in the Parliament over the ‘Vande Mataram’ issue. Earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah told the Rajya Sabha that the “politics of appeasement” surrounding Vande Mataram had historically contributed to deep national divisions, arguing that the Opposition was attempting to link the 150th-anniversary debate to upcoming elections in West Bengal.

Shah described the song as the “mantra” that shaped India’s cultural nationalism and said its relevance would endure as the country moves toward Viksit Bharat.

Also Read: With Vande Mataram debate, Modi fails to score in history, Bengali culture

Responding to questions over the need for such a debate, Shah noted, “The need for discussion... was as relevant when the song was written, during the freedom movement, today, and will be as relevant in 2047.”

He also criticised attempts to frame the debate as election-driven, saying, “Some people are saying Vande Mataram is being discussed because elections are coming in West Bengal... They are trying to reduce the importance of Vande Mataram.”

Kharge hits back

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge rejected these allegations, opening his remarks with “Vande Mataram” and defending leaders involved in selecting the national song’s stanzas.

Also Read: Modi trying to rewrite ‘Vande Mataram’ history, can’t blot Nehru’s legacy: Congress

“We have always been singing Vande Mataram,” said Kharge, stressing that figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore supported the final decision.

“Why do you target Nehruji alone?” said Kharge, arguing the choice was collectively endorsed by senior national leaders.

(With agency inputs)