Vande Mataram row: BJP demands Congress apology, Congress denies disrespect
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday accused the Congress of insulting the national song Vande Mataram during its Independence Day event and demanded a public apology within 24 hours. The Congress rejected the allegation, saying no disrespect was intended.
Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari claimed that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, showed disrespect when Vande Mataram was sung at the party headquarters on Friday. He questioned whether any Indian who believes in the Constitution and sovereignty of the country would ever object to the national song on Independence Day.
"Can any patriot, can any Indian who believes in the Constitution of India, respects the Tricolour of India, respects India's freedom fighters and believes in India's sovereignty and integrity, ever get angry at the invocation of Vande Mataram on Independence Day?" Mr. Bhandari asked.
The BJP leader also used the term "dimagi Naxal ecosystem" to describe the Congress leadership, a phrase borrowed from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech. The PM had warned against "dimagi Naxals" who have entrenched themselves in the system and urged people to identify and isolate them.
Mr. Bhandari alleged that video footage shows Sonia Gandhi gesturing to stop the singing of Vande Mataram. He further claimed that Rahul Gandhi could be heard saying "We don't need to sing Vande Mataram" after the rendition, and played an audio clip to the media. He said the Congress leaders must apologise to every patriotic Indian within 24 hours.
The Congress, however, denied the allegations. Party sources said there was no attempt to stop the full version of the national song. They explained that Sonia Gandhi was merely asking for a chair for Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing for some time during the event.
The BJP also pointed to the Congress government in Kerala, alleging that Vande Mataram was skipped at an official event there. This, Mr. Bhandari said, shows a pattern rather than an isolated incident.
In a separate development, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram responded to the PM's "dimagi Naxal" remark by saying he is proud to be one. Mr. Bhandari attacked Chidambaram's statement, saying the country's youth are patriotic and nationalist, and only the Congress leadership has a problem with national symbols.
The row highlights the continuing political friction over national symbols and patriotism, with both parties using them to score points in the run-up to elections. The Congress has repeatedly accused the BJP of monopolising patriotism and misrepresenting its actions.
Political analysts note that such incidents often spark sharp debates but tend to fade once the next news cycle begins. However, they also reflect the deepening polarisation in Indian politics, where symbols of national identity become contested ground.
