# BJP calls Sharmila Tagore’s Vande Mataram remarks anti-national 2026-08-22T02:30:43+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets BJP leaders have attacked veteran actor Sharmila Tagore for her remarks on the national song Vande Mataram. BJP MP Abhijit Ganguly called her position 'anti-national', while West Bengal minister Indranil Khan said the country does not need to learn patriotism from those who insult the national song. Tagore had said the song should be considered from the perspective of people from monotheistic faiths who may have objections to parts of it. The controversy comes as the BJP passed a 10-point resolution vowing to uphold the full rendition of Vande Mataram and condemn any attempt to restrict it. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor clarified the party will stick to its 1937 practice of singing only two stanzas at party events, but will stand for the full song at national functions. The BJP rejected the Congress position as vote-bank politics and said it will launch a nationwide awareness campaign. ## Indian Opinion Analysis ABP Live leads with the BJP's accusation of 'anti-national' behaviour, framing Tagore's remarks as an affront to patriotism. Hindustan Times gives equal space to the Congress defence via Tharoor, presenting the row as a political standoff rather than a unilateral attack. The ABP Live account omits Tharoor's clarification entirely, leaving the BJP's charge as the sole frame. The measured reading is that both parties are entrenched in a symbolic fight over a national symbol with no immediate policy consequence. Watch for the BJP's promised campaign rollout in the coming weeks. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 1 pro-government, 1 neutral - news.abplive.com (pro government) Leads with BJP's anti-national charge, omits Congress clarification - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Presents both BJP resolution and Congress defence without slant This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-22T18:01:15+00:00. Tags: Abhijit Ganguly, BJP, Congress, Sharmila Tagore, Vande Mataram Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bjp-mp-ganguly-calls-sharmila-tagore-vande-mataram-remarks-anti-national/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bjp-mp-ganguly-calls-sharmila-tagore-vande-mataram-remarks-anti-national/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/