.jpg)
The 'Vande Mataram' Issue: What Vijay Did, the BJP Forgot in Bengal!
New Delhi/Chennai (May 11, 2026): TVK chief and Tamil Nadu's new Chief Minister, Vijay, has pushed the BJP onto the back foot over the issue of singing 'Vande Mataram' before the National Anthem. On Sunday, several dignitaries—including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi—were present at Vijay's swearing-in ceremony. On this occasion, the full version of 'Vande Mataram' was sung prior to the National Anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana'. Subsequently, Tamil Nadu's state anthem, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu', was played.
Just a day earlier—on Saturday—the swearing-in ceremony of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took place at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. This was a historic moment for the BJP, as the party had come to power in West Bengal for the very first time. However, 'Vande Mataram' was not played during this event.
This incident is being viewed as significant in the context of the song, which was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882. According to directives issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in January, 'Vande Mataram' had been accorded a status equivalent to that of the National Anthem—a move that had sparked a major political controversy. Mamata Banerjee had termed this an insult to Rabindranath Tagore.
Criticizing the matter, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge remarked that those who proclaim themselves to be the guardians of nationalism were the very ones who failed to sing 'Vande Mataram'. He noted that this stands in contradiction to their claims of patriotism.
These events have once again propelled the issue of 'Vande Mataram' to the center of political discourse. Vijay's strategic move has unsettled the BJP, and questions are now being raised regarding the omission of the song from the ceremony held in Bengal.
New Delhi/Chennai (May 11, 2026): TVK chief and Tamil Nadu's new Chief Minister, Vijay, has pushed the BJP onto the back foot over the issue of singing 'Vande Mataram' before the National Anthem. On Sunday, several dignitaries—including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi—were present at Vijay's swearing-in ceremony. On this occasion, the full version of 'Vande Mataram' was sung prior to the National Anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana'. Subsequently, Tamil Nadu's state anthem, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu', was played.
Just a day earlier—on Saturday—the swearing-in ceremony of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took place at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. This was a historic moment for the BJP, as the party had come to power in West Bengal for the very first time. However, 'Vande Mataram' was not played during this event.
This incident is being viewed as significant in the context of the song, which was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882. According to directives issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in January, 'Vande Mataram' had been accorded a status equivalent to that of the National Anthem—a move that had sparked a major political controversy. Mamata Banerjee had termed this an insult to Rabindranath Tagore.
Criticizing the matter, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge remarked that those who proclaim themselves to be the guardians of nationalism were the very ones who failed to sing 'Vande Mataram'. He noted that this stands in contradiction to their claims of patriotism.
These events have once again propelled the issue of 'Vande Mataram' to the center of political discourse. Vijay's strategic move has unsettled the BJP, and questions are now being raised regarding the omission of the song from the ceremony held in Bengal.
Just a day earlier—on Saturday—the swearing-in ceremony of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took place at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. This was a historic moment for the BJP, as the party had come to power in West Bengal for the very first time. However, 'Vande Mataram' was not played during this event.
This incident is being viewed as significant in the context of the song, which was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882. According to directives issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in January, 'Vande Mataram' had been accorded a status equivalent to that of the National Anthem—a move that had sparked a major political controversy. Mamata Banerjee had termed this an insult to Rabindranath Tagore.
Criticizing the matter, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge remarked that those who proclaim themselves to be the guardians of nationalism were the very ones who failed to sing 'Vande Mataram'. He noted that this stands in contradiction to their claims of patriotism.
These events have once again propelled the issue of 'Vande Mataram' to the center of political discourse. Vijay's strategic move has unsettled the BJP, and questions are now being raised regarding the omission of the song from the ceremony held in Bengal.
