Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met the BJP’s newly appointed national office-bearers at the party headquarters in New Delhi and posed for a group photograph with them.

Modi’s visit came after the BJP adopted a resolution highlighting the historical significance and legacy of ‘Vande Mataram’. The party also announced a nationwide campaign to spread awareness about the National Song’s history and importance.

In its resolution, the BJP strongly slammed the Congress Working Committee (CWC) for re-adopting its 1937 decision to limit the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ at party programmes to its first two stanzas.

The BJP said it regards 'Vande Mataram' as India's National Song, an expression of reverence for Bharat Mata, a mantra of the freedom struggle and an enduring symbol of India's national consciousness.

The party stated it would strongly oppose the Congress decision to limit the National Song to two stanzas and would protect the honour, dignity and legacy of its full six-stanza version.

The BJP also said it would reaffirm the 1950 Constituent Assembly declaration and the law passed by Parliament in 2026 granting statutory protection to the National Song at par with 'Jana Gana Mana'.

The BJP resolution argued that the CWC's decision could not take precedence over the Constitution or laws enacted by Parliament. It said the political understanding reached in 1937 could not override the constitutional framework established in 1950 or the legislation passed in 2026.

As part of its nationwide campaign, the BJP said it would focus on the historical background of ‘Vande Mataram’ and its contribution to India’s freedom movement. The party will also conduct a dedicated awareness programme for young people to familiarise them with the National Song’s links to the freedom struggle and the sacrifices made during it.

The BJP said it would resist any effort to place the National Song under communal considerations, appeasement or vote-bank politics.

In its resolution, the party referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s characterisation of ‘Vande Mataram’ as an “anti-imperialist slogan” associated with the “purest national sentiment”.

The CWC had earlier reaffirmed its 1937 decision to restrict the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ at party events to its first two stanzas.

Congress MP KC Venugopal said the party’s stance remained unchanged and that it would adhere to the decisions taken by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1937.

The BJP, meanwhile, has stated that the matter is about preserving the dignity of the National Song and honouring the contributions of those who took part in India’s freedom movement.

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