New Delhi, December 8, 2025 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party and India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, accusing them of “surrendering” to the Muslim League in 1937 by agreeing to adopt only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram as the national song.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a special debate marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, the Prime Minister alleged that this decision—taken during the pre-independence era—was a politically motivated compromise that contributed to the circumstances that eventually led to the Partition of India.

Modi’s Charge of Political Capitulation

PM Modi claimed that Congress leadership, under Nehru, conceded to the Muslim League’s objections to the full song, particularly its depiction in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Anand Math.

“The politics of the Muslim League opposing Vande Mataram gained momentum in 1937. Mohammed Ali Jinnah raised slogans against it,” Modi said. “Instead of condemning those statements, Nehru began ‘investigating’ the song just five days after Jinnah’s opposition.”

The Prime Minister further asserted that Nehru accepted Jinnah’s argument that the song could “provoke and irritate Muslims” because of its literary context.

Quoting historical records, Modi declared:

“It is the misfortune of the country that on October 26, 1937, the Congress compromised on Vande Mataram. They fragmented the song. They bowed to the Muslim League. To save Nehru’s throne, Congress surrendered before the Muslim League.”

Accusation of ‘Fragmenting’ a National Symbol

PM Modi characterised the Congress Working Committee’s decision to adopt only the first two stanzas as a “historic failure” and a betrayal of national sentiment. The move, he said, weakened the unity of the freedom movement and served as an early indicator of appeasement politics.

He linked the episode to broader political decisions of that era, arguing that “the seeds of Partition were sown when national integrity was sacrificed for political convenience.”

Congress Pushes Back

The Congress swiftly rejected the Prime Minister’s remarks, accusing him of distorting historical facts to score political points.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi defended Nehru’s legacy, saying:

“No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to put even a single black mark on Pandit Nehru Ji’s contributions.”

Gogoi asserted that Nehru’s leadership was instrumental in shaping democratic India and accused the government of attempting to “rewrite history to distract from present-day issues.”

A Continuing Battle Over Historical Narratives

The debate highlights the deepening ideological clash between the BJP and Congress over the legacy of the freedom movement and the personalities who shaped India’s early political trajectory.

As the country marks 150 years of Vande Mataram, the national song continues to be at the centre of political discourse—symbolising not just patriotism, but also India’s contested historical memory.