HM Amit Shah Flags Nine ‘Vande Mataram’ Violations In Letter To RS Chairman

Union Home Minister Amit Shah formally documented a series of nine incidents involving alleged disrespect toward India’s national song, Vande Mataram, and submitted the report to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan on Tuesday.

HM Shah’s letter followed a charged discussion in the Upper House commemorating the 150th anniversary of the song’s composition.

During the debate, he referenced multiple past incidents, prompting Congress MP Jairam Ramesh to request that the Home Minister place verified facts on the record.

Responding to that request, Shah compiled and submitted a factual note dated December 9, 2025, urging the Rajya Sabha Chairman to incorporate the document into the official proceedings. He stated that the record captures specific events raised in the House and ensures that Parliament’s archives reflect an accurate, traceable account.

The report lists nine incidents between 2018 and 2025 involving leaders from several parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), National Conference (JKNC), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Shah categorised these episodes as examples of ‘unacceptable conduct’ toward Vande Mataram, particularly when individuals refused to sing or stand for the national song.

Two recent cases from December 2025 feature prominently. According to the document, Congress MP Imran Masood and JKNC’s Agha Syed Mehdi reportedly declined to sing the song, with Masood citing religious beliefs.

Shah recorded these instances to underline what he described as a recurring trend of objection on religious grounds.

Earlier Controversies Revisited

The report also revisits earlier controversies. In 2019, SP MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq publicly declared that he would not sing Vande Mataram while taking his Lok Sabha oath, asserting it conflicted with his faith. His grandson, SP MLA Ziaurrahman Barq, voiced the same stance in 2025, reinforcing the family’s long-standing position.

Another noted event involves Congress MLA Arif Masood, who in 2019 refused to sing the national song, again invoking religious doctrine.

The document further cites a 2018 Congress rally where party general secretary KC Venugopal allegedly instructed organisers to conclude the song in a single line, effectively curtailing it mid-performance.

Shah also highlighted a 2022 report claiming that then Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked party workers not to sing Vande Mataram during a Constitution Day programme.

The Home Minister argued that such directives undermine national sentiment during significant civic events.

The record additionally mentions the Samajwadi Party’s 2025 demand to withdraw an order mandating the national song in schools, as well as RJD MLA Saud Alam’s refusal to stand for the rendition inside the Bihar Assembly in 2025.

By placing these incidents before the Rajya Sabha Chairman, Shah aims to ensure institutional clarity, establish factual accountability, and frame the debate on Vande Mataram within Parliament’s official records.

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