Odisha CM Urges All Citizens to Chant Vande Mataram as BJD, Congress Stage Walkout in Assembly

December 10, 2025 MTIMES 5 min read 150 years of Vande Mataram, BJD Congress protest, Indian national song debate, Mohan Charan Majhi speech, Odisha Assembly walkout, Vande Mataram Odisha Assembly

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday appealed to the people of Odisha to chant the national song Vande Mataram with pride, cutting across religious beliefs and social distinctions, asserting that the song has the strength to unite the nation and guide it towards greater heights. Speaking in the Odisha Assembly during the 150-year celebration of the iconic national song, the Chief Minister described it as the living force of India’s cultural consciousness and civilisational continuity.

Majhi said that this was not merely a moment to remember Vande Mataram as a historical symbol but a time to draw renewed inspiration and collective strength from it. He stressed that the anthem reflects the unbroken flow of Indian culture and should inspire citizens to work together for national progress.

However, the solemn occasion turned politically charged as members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress walked out of the House after two stanzas of the song were played. The Opposition returned only after the complete rendition of the song concluded, triggering a sharp exchange between the government and Opposition benches.

Vande Mataram Odisha Assembly Debate Triggers Walkout by BJD, Congress

Explaining the walkout, BJD deputy leader of Opposition Prasanna Acharya said the party holds the national song in the highest respect and stood in reverence while the first two stanzas were played. He asserted that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram were formally accepted by the Constituent Assembly.

“Nobody is above the Constitution,” Acharya said, justifying the BJD’s decision to protest the playing of the full song in the House. He maintained that the party’s actions were guided strictly by constitutional propriety and not by any disregard for the national anthem-like status of the song.

Congress Legislature Party leader Ramachandra Kadam echoed similar views. He pointed out that the party recognises only the first two paragraphs of the song and not the entire poem, a copy of which, he claimed, was circulated by the state government. Kadam further alleged that the discussion on Vande Mataram was being used as a political tool to divert attention from pressing national issues.

Opposition Alleges Diversion from Economic and Governance Issues

Kadam accused the ruling dispensation of deliberately shifting the focus away from serious concerns such as the falling value of the rupee, the controversy surrounding SIR, and the recent IndiGo flight disruption crisis. According to him, these issues were of far greater immediate importance to the public than symbolic debates.

The Congress leader said the timing of the celebration and the manner in which it was being highlighted suggested a calculated strategy to overshadow economic and administrative challenges that the country is currently facing. He maintained that the party’s stand was rooted in constitutional values, not ideological opposition to the national song.

Vande Mataram Odisha Assembly Speech: CM Majhi Hits Back at ‘Communal Colour’ Charge

Responding strongly to the Opposition’s criticism, Chief Minister Majhi said it was unfortunate that “vested interests” had tried for nearly 90 years to give Vande Mataram a communal colour. He asserted that the motherland stands above caste, creed and religion and that Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata are inseparable from the idea of Indiannes.

Majhi questioned whether those opposing the full rendition of the song considered themselves more patriotic or more knowledgeable than revered national figures like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, revolutionary Ashfaqulla Khan and former President APJ Abdul Kalam. He noted that all of them had sung Vande Mataram with devotion and pride, proving that the song transcends religious and ideological boundaries.

The Chief Minister made it clear that the song symbolises national unity and collective identity, not narrow political narratives. He urged political parties to rise above partisan considerations and respect symbols that bind the nation together.

Statewide Celebrations Announced to Mark 150 Years of the National Song

Majhi announced that the Odisha government has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram with enthusiasm across the country. As part of this initiative, the state will organise celebrations in every district, school, university and cultural centre.

He described the anniversary as an opportunity for the state and the nation to move forward together while fulfilling the dreams of the freedom fighters who fought for India’s independence. The Chief Minister said Vande Mataram will continue to inspire courage, unity and determination as the nation works towards the vision of a prosperous India by 2047.

Despite the walkout and political sparring inside the Assembly, the debate has once again underlined how deeply Vande Mataram remains intertwined with questions of nationalism, constitutional values and political identity in contemporary India.

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