Savarkar's Vande Mataram: Revolutionary mantra; RSS initially kept distance

• Veer Savarkar viewed "Vande Mataram" as a powerful, revolutionary mantra for India's freedom struggle, transforming India House into its "temple" and making it a symbol of unity.
• Savarkar considered "Vande Mataram" a national song expressing reverence for Mother India, refuting Muslim leaders' objections to it on religious grounds.
• The RSS initially distanced itself from "Vande Mataram" due to its association with the Congress Party and differences in focus and working style.
• While acknowledging its importance, the RSS supported "Jana Gana Mana" as the national anthem, citing religious objections to "Vande Mataram's" verses depicting Goddess Durga.
• The RSS respected "Vande Mataram" as a national song and, in practice, sang only its first two verses, aligning with the government's 1950 decision.

Why It Matters: It explains the historical political debates over India's national songs.