Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday launched a sharp critique against the Congress party and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, holding them responsible for India's cultural division and the eventual Partition. He made these remarks during a historic discussion in the state legislative assembly.
The Historic Assembly Debate on a National Song
On the second day of the winter session, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly became the first legislative house in the country to initiate a formal discussion on "Vande Mataram." Leading the charge, CM Yogi Adityanath stated that the compromise made by the Congress over this national song was the first and most dangerous outcome of its politics of appeasement, which ultimately fueled separatism.
He argued that the opposition to "Vande Mataram" was never rooted in genuine religious or faith-based concerns. Instead, he labeled it as "purely political" in nature. The Chief Minister posed a pointed rhetorical question to underscore his argument.
Questioning the Truncation of the Song
"The national anthem, which was originally meant to be sung in 6 verses, was cut down and limited to 2 verses," Yogi Adityanath said. "Was this the result of some religious compulsion, or was it a well-planned conspiracy to mortgage national consciousness in order to cling to power?" This statement directly challenged the historical decisions made around the song's adoption.
Jinnah's Role and the Shift in Agenda
The CM provided a historical perspective, claiming that as long as Muhammad Ali Jinnah remained within the Congress party, "Vande Mataram" was not a point of contention. However, the scenario changed dramatically after Jinnah's exit.
"Once Jinnah left the Congress, he made it a tool of the Muslim League and deliberately gave the song a communal colour," Adityanath asserted. "The song remained the same, but the agenda changed." This, according to him, was a calculated move that sowed the seeds of division.
Linking Past Politics to Present Discourse
By initiating this discussion in the UP Assembly, Yogi Adityanath has brought a historical debate into the heart of contemporary political discourse. His comments directly link the Congress's past actions to the broader narrative of cultural division and appeasement politics that remains a potent theme in Indian politics today. The winter session discussion sets a precedent for other state assemblies, potentially opening the door for similar debates nationwide.
