Congress leader defends singing of ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’, says it’s a tribute to Tagore, not an anti-national act

In response to recent criticism over the singing of two lines from Bangladesh’s national anthem during a Congress Seva Dal event, Advocate Jyotish Purkayastha, vice-president of the District Congress Committee, has strongly defended the act, stating that it was not an anti-national gesture but a tribute to the literary legacy of Rabindranath Tagore.

Addressing the media at Indira Bhavan, Purkayastha said, “A political party cannot be called anti-national merely for singing two lines of Amar Sonar Bangla. The song was written by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in 1905 — long before Bangladesh came into existence — and later adopted as its national anthem in 1971. We can never forget the works of Tagore.”

He further explained that during the Seva Dal programme, the member had sung only two lines of the song while standing and speaking. The event had also featured renditions of Vande Mataram at the beginning and Jana Gana Mana at the end, he clarified.

Drawing a parallel, Purkayastha remarked, “Just as anyone can quote verses from the Vedas or the Quran in their speeches, singing Tagore’s composition should not be viewed through a political or nationalistic lens.”

Reaffirming his stance, he added, “I will continue to sing this song every day, it is a reminder of Tagore’s timeless contribution to art and humanity.”

The statement came in response to allegations made by Minister Krishnendu Pal, who had criticized the Congress Seva Dal’s act, terming it inappropriate.