BJP Leader's National Anthem Remark Sparks Fierce Backlash from Trinamool Congress

Trinamool Congress launched a scathing attack on BJP following former Karnataka Assembly speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri's controversial claim that India's national anthem was composed to welcome British royalty.

The TMC has accused the BJP of harboring anti-Bengal sentiments and called for Kageri's immediate resignation. West Bengal minister Shashi Panja stated that this represents a calculated effort to target both the state and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

"The BJP clearly lacks understanding about nationalism and our national anthem. This represents a deliberate insult to Rabindranath Tagore, whom we in West Bengal revere as divine. The underlying motivation appears to be an attack on West Bengal's culture and its iconic figures," Panja remarked.

She challenged the BJP regarding whether they would demand Kageri's resignation and called on the party to clarify its position on the matter.

This controversy emerges as the national song 'Vande Mataram' marks its 150th anniversary. This timeless composition has served as inspiration for generations of freedom fighters and nation builders, becoming an enduring symbol of India's national identity and unified spirit. Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, 'Vande Mataram' first appeared in the literary publication Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875.