BJP's strategy to pit Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay against Tagore backfired: Cong

New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) With both Houses of Parliament wrapping up the debate on 150 years of "Vande Mataram" this week, the Congress on Friday said the BJP's "strategy to pit" Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay against Rabindranath Tagore and insult the latter has "spectacularly backfired".

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha J P Nadda for demanding equal status for the national song and anthem when it had already been announced in January 1950 by Rajendra Prasad.

"Yesterday in the Rajya Sabha, after distorting and twisting history, the Leader of the House and President of the BJP J P Nadda ji put forward his main demand: that the national song and the national anthem should have the same status," Ramesh said on X.

"I had to interject to remind him that way back on January 24, 1950, in the final sitting of the Constituent Assembly, its President Dr. Rajendra Prasad had announced that Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram 'shall be honoured equally' and shall have equal status.

"The BJP's strategy to pit Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay against Rabindranath Tagore and insult the Gurudev has spectacularly backfired," the Congress leader said.

Union minister J P Nadda on Thursday asserted in the Rajya Sabha that "Vande Mataram" is linked to nationalism and the country should take a resolve to accord it a status equal to that of the national anthem and flag.

He also accused the Congress of appeasement and negating the importance of "Vande Mataram" during pre and post-independence, even though the national song was linked to the country's ancient cultural heritage.

After both Houses held a debate on 150 years of "Vande Mataram", the Congress on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "his entire brigade" have been thoroughly "bruised and exposed for their lies".

On Monday, Modi tore into the Congress, alleging that Nehru betrayed "Vande Mataram" by bowing to Muhammad Ali Jinnah's opposition to the national song that led to it being fragmented and pandering to his communal concerns, putting India on the path of appeasement politics. PTI ASK DIV DIV