Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of strategically using the "Vande Mataram" debate in Parliament to gain political mileage in the lead-up to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The accusations arose during a Lok Sabha discussion marking the 150th anniversary of the national song, with TMC representatives alleging that the BJP's focus on the song is a calculated move to sway voters in the upcoming elections.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra claimed that the BJP is "butchering the soul" of the song and that the timing of the debate was politically motivated. She suggested that the BJP's IT cell advised them that playing the "Vande Mataram" card would give them an advantage in the 2026 Bengal elections. Moitra added that the TMC welcomes the conversation because it will "only prove how removed you are from the soul of Bengal, and how our Ma will never be hostage to your narrow electoral goals". She challenged the BJP to contest the 2026 Bengal election, asserting that the people of Bengal would teach them the true meaning of "Vande Mataram".

Other TMC leaders echoed Moitra's sentiments, criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the author of "Vande Mataram," as "Bankim da," deeming it disrespectful and culturally insensitive. They argued that Bengalis would not appreciate such a casual reference to the revered author and that Bengal had taken note of the perceived disrespect. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar emphasized the deep sense of patriotism among Bengalis, highlighting the contributions of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore to Indian nationalism.

The TMC's Kalyan Banerjee also criticized the Prime Minister's speech, stating that it was below standard and that the debate should have focused on "Vande Mataram" rather than attacking Jawaharlal Nehru or Indira Gandhi. He also alleged that BJP leaders are "Bengali haters".

The BJP, on the other hand, accused the Congress of pursuing a divisive agenda and disrespecting the national song. They invoked the Bengal partition and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's legacy, emphasizing the song's role in India's struggle against colonial rule. Prime Minister Modi recalled how "Vande Mataram" became synonymous with India's fight for independence and symbolized the path to self-reliance.

The Congress also joined the fray, with MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accusing the BJP of deliberately stoking controversy over "Vande Mataram" to divert attention from issues such as unemployment and inflation. She argued that the BJP was politicizing a song that belongs to every Indian and using it to attack Jawaharlal Nehru and rewrite history. She contrasted the ideals in the song's stanzas with current issues such as water scarcity, pollution, and hate speech, arguing that the government had failed to uphold the spirit of the national song.

The "Vande Mataram" debate has thus become a battleground for political maneuvering, with the TMC accusing the BJP of exploiting the issue for electoral gains in West Bengal, while the BJP and Congress engage in a broader ideological clash over nationalism and historical narratives. The focus on the 2026 Bengal elections during the parliamentary discussion underscores the intense political competition in the state, where the BJP is seeking to challenge the TMC's dominance.