Overview
- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma questioned the singing of Amar Sonar Bangla, and a local Congress leader was booked for singing it, prompting Kolkata protests where civil society groups performed the song.
- The West Bengal government ordered state-run schools to sing Tagore’s Banglar Maati Bangla Jol at morning assembly, building on a December 2023 move declaring it the State anthem for official events.
- The BJP marked 150 years of Vande Mataram with high-profile observances, including a year-long commemoration inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as its Bengal leaders spotlighted neglect at Bankim-related sites.
- A BJP MP’s claim that the national anthem was written to welcome British officials reignited disputes over Tagore’s legacy, drawing counter-allegations from the Trinamool Congress of disrespect toward the poet.
- Historical reviews highlight the Congress Working Committee’s 1937 decision to use only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, with Tagore’s backing, countering claims of secret appeasement as commentators warn that vilifying Tagore’s works could backfire politically.