Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Monday that singing Vande Mataram will be made compulsory across all educational institutions in the state. The declaration comes amid intensifying political debate over the national song, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks about stanzas allegedly removed in 1937.

Speaking at an Ekta Yatra (Unity March) in Gorakhpur, Adityanath said the move aims to instil respect for the national song and strengthen patriotic sentiment among students. “There should be a sense of respect for Vande Mataram. We will make its singing compulsory in every school and educational institution of Uttar Pradesh,” he said, as quoted by PTI.

Warning Against “New Jinnahs”

During the event, Adityanath also issued a caution against forces that he described as divisive. He urged citizens to remain vigilant against those who create rifts based on caste, region, or language. He said such elements were “part of a conspiracy to create new Jinnahs.”

“We must ensure no new Jinnah ever arises in India again… we must bury divisive intent before it can take root,” the chief minister said.

His remarks come amid a broader political exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties over the legacy and interpretation of Vande Mataram.

Congress Demands Apology from PM Modi

The controversy escalated after PM Modi claimed last week that key stanzas of Vande Mataram were dropped in 1937, allegedly sowing the seeds of partition. The Congress accused the prime minister of distorting history and demanded an apology.

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh, referencing archival material, said the Congress Working Committee (CWC) met in Kolkata in 1937 and issued a statement on the national song that year. He stressed that the committee included leading figures of the freedom movement such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Abul Kalam Azad, and Sarojini Naidu.

Ramesh added that the CWC’s decision had been influenced by Rabindranath Tagore, and accused the prime minister of insulting both the committee and Tagore. He also drew attention to the RSS’s absence from the independence struggle led by Gandhi.

The Congress said PM Modi should focus on current national issues rather than revisiting historical debates for political gain.

Historical Context of Vande Mataram

Vande Mataram first appeared in 1875 in the magazine Bangadarshan, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterji. It grew into a rallying cry during the freedom movement and was famously sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.

PM Modi recently inaugurated a year-long commemoration marking 150 years of the national song, placing it back at the centre of political discussion.

As Uttar Pradesh prepares to enforce mandatory singing of Vande Mataram in its schools and colleges, the broader national debate around the song’s history and symbolism is likely to continue.