ITANAGAR, 17 Aug: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has accused the BJP and its Yuva Morcha of politicising the national song Vande Mataram, alleging that the song was used during a demonstration outside the Congress office on the National Highway as part of a partisan political protest.
In a statement issued on Sunday, APCC general secretary-cum-spokesperson and chairman of its media and social media department, Kon Jirjo Jotham, said Vande Mataram is the National Song of India and "not the property" of the BJP or any political party.
Jotham said the Congress has never opposed Vande Mataram and maintained that the party objects only to what it described as the deliberate use of the national song as a political weapon against Congress leaders.
"There was no official Congress programme, no BJP government function, no recognised national ceremony and no authorised social, cultural or public function taking place at the location at the time of the BJP demonstration," Jotham said, describing the protest as "political theatre."
The APCC also rejected any attempt to equate questions of protocol with disrespect to the National Song, and challenged the BJP to identify the specific protocol provision allegedly violated rather than making what it termed sweeping political accusations.
The Congress further invoked the historical association of Vande Mataram with the freedom movement, pointing out that it was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and was first sung at an Indian National Congress session by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Calcutta session.
Jotham said the BJP should remember that "Vande Mataram existed long before the BJP and that patriotism and nationalism cannot be monopolised by any political party."
The APCC also turned its criticism towards issues concerning Arunachal Pradesh's security and governance, questioning why the BJP and its Yuva Morcha were not holding similar demonstrations over concerns regarding reported Chinese activities along the India-Tibet border.
"If you are so deeply concerned about patriotism and national security, why are you silent on serious concerns regarding Chinese PLA activities, incursions and reported encroachments along the India-Tibet border in Arunachal Pradesh?" Jotham asked.
The Congress also questioned the BJP's position on unemployment, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, Article 371(H), the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, illegal mining, law and order, recruitment and examination-related grievances, and concerns raised by employees, students and youth.
The APCC said national symbols including Vande Mataram, Jana Gana Mana and the Tricolour should unite citizens rather than be used for partisan political confrontation.
"Patriotism is not a BJP trademark. Nationalism is not a BJP monopoly. Vande Mataram is not BJP property," Jotham said, urging the BJP to focus on issues affecting the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
