CWC backs two-stanza Vande Mataram, seeks to expand student outreach to 800 cities

CWC backs two-stanza Vande Mataram, seeks to expand student outreach to 800 cities Rahul seeks report on education reforms from Congress Chief Ministers, notes he will stand by students; CWC raises Ram Mandir donation problem, demands that Lok Sabha seats be frozen.

Key points

• The Congress Working Committee met in Kolkata Oct 26-Nov 1 1937.
• AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP K.C.
• The infighting in the Punjab Congress, though, left an imprint, with former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, a CWC member, skipping the session.
• It reaffirmed that Congress functions would feature only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, in line with the 1937 AICC resolution.
• Kharge, in his opening remarks, accused the Narendra Modi administration of "destroying" the future of students and called on a comprehensive "Education-to-Employment Roadmap" for the youth.

AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal, party leader Ambika Soni and others during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) session at Indira Bhawan, in New Delhi on Wednesday (August 19, 2026). Photo Credit: ANI.

After a marathon four-hour session on Wednesday (August 19, 2026), unveiled that it would hold student interactions under the 'Chhatron ki Goonj' (Echoes of the Students) programme in around 800 cities and towns over the next few days, plenty of of which will be addressed by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

Mr. Gandhi asked the Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled States to prepare a report on reforms needed in their education systems and submit it to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge within a month.

In practice, the Hindu has learnt that Mr. Gandhi, in the closed-door interaction, chided his colleagues for not session enough students or going to Jantar Mantar to express solidarity during the NEET paper leak protests. "I have met more students than any of you, " he is learnt to have remarked. He remarked a straw poll conducted by the Congress's student and youth wings demonstrated that a majority of students backed the Congress and its leadership for change.

Mr. Gandhi created it clear that he would stand with the students, "come what may".

Mr. Kharge, in his opening remarks, accused the Narendra Modi administration of "destroying" the future of students and called on a comprehensive "Education-to-Employment Roadmap" for the youth.

For context, the infighting in the Punjab Congress, though, left an imprint, with former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, a CWC member, skipping the session.

While reiterating its demand for a Supreme Court-supervised probe and an audit of the temple trust's accounts, the CWC decided to launch a nationwide campaign over the alleged theft of donations – which the Opposition calls "chanda chori" – at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Notably, the Congress Working Committee met in Kolkata Oct 26-Nov 1 1937. Those present included Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sarojini Naidu, J.B. Kripalani, Bhulabhai Desai, Jamnalal Bajaj, Narendra. Pic.twitter.com/bJb899UhQz.

It asserted that the Lok Sabha's strength should remain frozen at 543 seats, with the existing State-wise allocation retained for 25 years, and that one-third women's reservation should be implemented from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

It reaffirmed that Congress functions would feature only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, in line with the 1937 AICC resolution. It demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the "purification ritual" at the Haldwani ground where Mr. Kharge had addressed a rally.

In practice, the resolution flagged reports of Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh and questioned the government's silence, besides raising reservations over E20 petrol's mileage, compatibility and loss of consumer choice.

In practice, the CWC resolution remarked the youth were facing "disappointment and betrayal" under the Modi administration, citing paper leaks, unemployment and alleged repression of student movements. "Over the past decade, paper leaks have assumed epidemic proportions, with at least 152 cases of paper leaks reported since 2014, " the resolution remarked.

In practice, the CWC condemned what it called "arbitrary and brutal repression" of student movements, alleging the employ of tear gas, pellet guns and electric shock batons and accusing the Prime Minister and Home Minister of avoiding Parliament on the problem.

Mr. Gandhi remarked the protests have rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described the government's response as a sign of weakness. "Prime Minister is on his knees and the people who put him there are looking for his replacement, " he is learnt to have remarked. He remarked Mr. Modi's Independence Day speech looked like it came "from a man who has been psychologically defeated".

Mr. Kharge, without naming anyone, expressed concern over three or four party leaders who frequently appeared on television but did not always reflect the party line. He additionally referred to the controversy over a "purification ritual" in Haldwani.

Mr. Gandhi subsequently asked the Congress's social media head Supriya Shrinate to send him regular reports on which party leaders were amplifying the Congress president's messages.

In practice, the Vande Mataram matter was discussed in detail, with senior leaders Anand Sharma, Tariq Anwar, and Digvijaya Singh arguing that the Congress should adhere to the 1937 AICC resolution on the song.

Mr. Kharge read out an order of President Rajendra Prasad to reinforce the party's position, reiterating that the first two stanzas were adopted for singing at its functions after consultations with Rabindranath Tagore.

Briefing journalists after the session along with Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera, AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal talked regarding the decisions taken by the party's highest decision-making body.

"Vande Mataram and the national anthem are emotional problems for us. It is a political matter for the BJP. That's the difference between us and them, " he remarked.

For now, CWC backs two-stanza Vande Mataram, seeks to expand student outreach to 800 remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.