Uttarakhand Politicians Engage in Heated Debate Over Vande Mataram

DEHRADUN: Political battle over Vande Mataram has intensified in Uttarakhand, with Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan describing the national song as a symbol of patriotism and unity, while former chief minister Harish Rawat accused the BJP of “raiding” the Congress’s historical legacy. The exchange comes amid renewed debate following recent legal protection for Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s composition. Chouhan, who attended a gathering of saints in Haridwar on Sunday, said Vande Mataram belonged neither to a political party nor to any community. “It represents devotion to the motherland and national unity,” he said. Chouhan alleged that the song had been “split into two” before Independence under pressure from the Muslim League, and claimed that the compromise had contributed to Partition. “India will not be allowed to be divided again,” he said. Urging religious leaders to support the complete version of the song in their discourses, Chouhan said saints could build public awareness that reverence for the motherland should not be contentious. “When the voice of saints awakens society, no one will dare oppose the complete rendition of Vande Mataram,” he added. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also endorsed the appeal. Rawat, however, accused the BJP of politicising the song to divert attention from questions raised by the “Gen Z movement” and other serious issues. “The Congress has a historic association with Vande Mataram. The BJP has no connection with its history; it is committing political robbery,” he told TNIE.