Bangladesh Anthem Controversy Sparks a Massive BJP-Congress showdown in Assam: Are Indians not Allowed to Sing This Song?

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A political storm has erupted in Assam after the Bangladesh national anthem was reportedly played at a Congress meeting. The BJP leaders have accused the Congress of creating a “Greater Bangladesh” vote-bank agenda.

The Incident

An undated video recently went viral on social media showing a Congress leader singing ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ (meaning My Golden Bengal) at the party's meeting in Sribhumi district (earlier Karimganj district). In no time, the video was shared by thousands on social media, triggering a political war of words between the BJP and Congress.

BJP Slams Congress

The ruling party in the state, the BJP, alleged that the incident was part of a “coordinated effort to lure the vote bank”.

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BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of engaging in “competitive appeasement politics,” which he said has led the Congress to “officially support Bangladeshi infiltrators” and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to “push for Jungle Raj and the rule of Sharia laws, despite claiming to stand by the Constitution”.

“The Congress is showing support to Bangladesh at a time when that country talks about dividing India. This has become a premeditated enterprise of the Congress and the Opposition,” Poonawalla said, referring to controversial remarks made by Congress leaders Sam Pitroda, Priyank Kharge, and others. He added, “On one side, the Congress disrespects Assam and supports Bangladeshi infiltrators. On the other side, when our government detects, deletes, and deports illegal immigrants, the Congress divides, distorts, and defends them.”

The BJP unit in Assam posted on X: "Just days ago, Bangladesh dared to publish a map swallowing the entire northeast, and now the Bangladesh-obsessed Congress is proudly singing Bangladesh’s national anthem right here in Assam. If, after this, someone still can’t see the agenda at play, then they’re either blind, complicit, or both".

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Assam CM Reacts

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the incident "blatant disrespect to the people of India”. 

Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Sarma said, "Two days ago, the district Congress committee of Sribhumi district performed the national anthem of Bangladesh in place of the national anthem of India. This is a blatant disrespect of the people of India. It is in line with the new claim by some Bangladesh citizens that the north-east will eventually be part of Bangladesh."

"I have instructed Assam Police to register a case against the district committee of Sribhumi district and take action as per law," the CM added.

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Response from Congress

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi came to the defense of state unit leaders and said that “'Amar Sonar Bangal' was composed by Rabindranath Tagore, reflecting the sentiments of Bengali culture.

"The BJP has always insulted the Bengali language, Bengali culture, and the people of Bengal. Their IT Cell has also insulted people of Bengal in the past. They have shown ignorance by not knowing the history of Rabindranath Tagore. I think the people of Bengal and Bengali-speaking people in different parts of the country have recognized that the BJP only uses them for votes," he said.

Responding to the controversy, Sribhumi District Congress president Tapas Purkayastha said, "Don't play politics with Rabindranath Tagore. Our pride, 85-year-old poet Vidhu Bhushan Das, sang only two lines of the song. Criticizing this song means insulting Rabindranath Tagore."

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TMC Leader Responds to Criticism

Meanwhile, TMC leader Mahua Moitra said that 'Amar Sonar Bangla is an emotion for Bengalis and was written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1905 to protest Bengal’s partition by the British. The first 10 lines were adopted as the Bangladesh national anthem only in 1971. “Amar Sonar Bangla” is an emotion for all of us Bengalis,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The Ethical POV

Tagore wrote about Bengal's natural beauty and the deep connection a Bengali feels with the land in this song. Bengali speakers on both sides of the border (West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, and Bangladesh) often sing Amar Sonar Bangla at public and private events. 

In fact, several restaurants serving Bengali cuisine in different parts of India, including one in Delhi, are named Amar Sonar Bangla.

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The district, where the incident happened, is part of the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley. So, it is hardly surprising that Amar Sonar Bangla was sung at an event there.