Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday (August 21, 2026) urged political parties to end the controversy over ‘Vande Mataram’, describing it as a needless debate that takes focus away from urgent national and public concerns.

“The politics going on in the country at present regarding whether Vande Mataram should be sung in its entirety or the first two stanzas (paras) should be sung or not is not right. The law that has been passed recently in the Parliament regarding the singing of Vande Mataram, and this is not the first time such a thing (controversy) has happened,” she wrote in Hindi.

“Because during the change of power in the Centre and the States, all the parties keep doing all this as per their political interests/benefits or to divert the attention of the public from their shortcomings, that is, they keep changing the laws made by each other.”

“Whereas at this time, the Central and all State Governments as well as all political parties should pay proper attention to the issues of national and public interest — especially to the unemployed youth and students of ‘Gen-Z’ and ‘Gen Alpha’ and loss of life and property due to the severe floods in some parts of the country and many other very important issues — this is the most urgent demand of the time in the interest of the country and the public,” wrote Ms. Mayawati, on X.

Published - August 21, 2026 01:04 pm IST