Fact Check: Was India's National Anthem Jana Gana Mana Written to Honor British Royalty? BJP MP's Claims Spark Controversy

Nov 06, 2025 01:08 pm CST

BJP MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri's claim that India's national anthem Jana Gana Mana was composed to welcome the British has sparked controversy. Congress minister Priyank Kharge refuted this assertion as "WhatsApp history," emphasizing that Rabindranath Tagore clarified in 1937 that his composition honored India's destiny, not British royalty. This article examines the historical context of the anthem and recurring misconceptions about its origins.