Hitting back at the BJP’s allegation that the Congress was insulting the national song ‘Vande Mataram’, Maharashtra Congress on Thursday said the party had been singing the song in the form decided by national leaders during the freedom struggle for the past 90 years. The party also said the BJP should focus on encouraging the RSS to sing the song at its shakhas.“The decision to sing the shorter version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was recommended by a committee headed by Rabindranath Tagore and adopted at the Congress meeting presided over by Subhas Chandra Bose. This was under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,” said state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal.He said there was no need for the Congress to clarify its position, as it had always sung ‘Vande Mataram’ in the form decided by the national leaders of the freedom struggle.“The BJP just wants to set a wrong narrative. The Congress will stick to what the national leaders in the freedom struggle decided. The BJP should instead make it sing in all shakhas of the RSS,” Sapkal said.Also Read | Why Congress will sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, and what the other four sayThose who were never part of the freedom struggle should not lecture the Congress, he said, alleging that the RSS had not hoisted the national tricolour at its headquarters for a long period and had later organised a ‘Tiranga rally’ to demonstrate its patriotism.Sapkal also said the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign was not a political event and would not carry the Congress logo or name, and that anyone could participate. “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that only students of Congress leaders-run educational institutes are being invited to the Pune campaign on Saturday. He should understand that anyone scanning the QR code can participate, irrespective of caste, religion or political party,” he said, adding that the BJP appeared to be concerned by the response the campaign was receiving from the youth.The campaign aims to understand the issues faced by young people through direct interaction and raise concerns at the appropriate level, Sapkal said.Story continues below this ad“The Pune event is exclusively for young women and girl students. Every event of the campaign highlights something important. In Pune, the country’s first school for girls was started by social reformer Savitribai Phule, despite opposition from self-appointed guardians of religion who said educating girls would threaten religion. Now, the BJP is known for diverting attention from the main issues by creating religious divisions,” he said.Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our storiesTags:CongressPune news