The decision was taken at a CWC meeting on Wednesday, with senior Congress leaders maintaining that the party's position has remained unchanged since the resolution adopted in 1937.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the party would continue following the earlier decision and confirmed that Congress workers would sing only the opening two stanzas at its programmes.

The issue has gained renewed political attention following allegations surrounding the rendition of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day. BJP leaders have accused Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi of showing disrespect to the National Song, while Congress has rejected the allegations and accused the BJP of using the controversy to divert attention from other issues.

Why Congress follows the two-stanza format

Congress leaders have traced their position to a CWC resolution passed on October 28, 1937. The meeting was attended by several prominent leaders of the freedom movement, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

The decision followed discussions over which portions of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's composition would be appropriate for national gatherings involving people from different religious and cultural backgrounds.

The first two stanzas focus on the motherland, while subsequent portions contain religious and mythological references. Congress has argued that the opening verses have a broader national character and are therefore more suitable for inclusive public gatherings.

Rabindranath Tagore was also consulted during the debate. Historical accounts cited by Congress say Tagore believed the first two stanzas could be separated from the later portions for use in national settings.

The 1937 resolution subsequently established the two-stanza format for Congress gatherings. It also allowed other patriotic songs to be performed alongside or instead of Vande Mataram.

BJP attacks Congress

The reaffirmation has intensified criticism from the BJP. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari have targeted the Congress leadership over the controversy.

Shah alleged that Sonia Gandhi had sought to stop the rendition of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters. Tiwari also accused the Congress of being uncomfortable with the National Song and questioned the position taken by Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

Congress, however, has described the BJP's criticism as a political distraction. KC Venugopal said the National Song and National Anthem evoke strong emotions within Congress but alleged that the BJP was turning the issue into a political controversy.

Kharge defends Congress version

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has also defended the use of the two-stanza version.

Responding to BJP criticism after he sang Vande Mataram at a public meeting in Goa, Kharge argued that the version was consistent with the one historically used by national leaders.

He said the same form had been associated with figures including Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and accused the BJP of overlooking the historical decisions surrounding the National Song and National Anthem.

Centre's new Vande Mataram protocol

The political dispute comes shortly after the Centre introduced new guidelines governing the use of Vande Mataram at official government functions.

Under the new protocol, a six-stanza version running for about 3 minutes and 10 seconds will be used at specified government ceremonies. The National Song will be performed at events such as the Padma Awards and functions attended by the President.

Where both Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana are part of an official programme, the National Song will be performed first. Attendees will also be required to stand during its rendition at designated government functions.

The government has said the guidelines are intended to bring greater uniformity to ceremonial practices across official institutions.

The Centre's move has added another layer to the political dispute, with Congress continuing to follow its decades-old two-stanza convention while the government promotes a standardised full version for official occasions.