Vande Mataram Row Escalates In Karnataka Assembly As BJP, Congress Clash Over Rendition

A fresh political row over Vande Mataram has erupted in the Karnataka Assembly after the Congress government stopped the rendition after the first two stanzas during the opening of the session. BJP legislators continued singing the remaining stanzas inside the House, turning the national song into a fresh political flashpoint. The Congress government said it had opted for a shorter rendition, while the BJP argued that the complete version should be honoured, citing a Central government directive. The BJP has accused the Congress of appeasement politics, while the issue has renewed debate over the historical and political significance of Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.