The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday, August 15, accused Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge of showing “utter disrespect” to the national song Vande Mataram during the Congress party’s Independence Day event at its headquarters, and demanded an apology and clarification. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the three senior leaders “were not attentive” while the song was being sung and were seen talking among themselves.
BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh shared video footage of the event on X, saying Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge appeared “upset” during the full rendition of the song. Another BJP spokesperson, Gopal Krishna Agarwal, alleged Sonia Gandhi objected to the playing of Vande Mataram and questioned party workers about it. BJP continued to press the issue through other spokespeople; Pradeep Bhandari accused the Gandhis of trying to stop the full rendition for “vote-bank and appeasement politics,” while RP Singh criticised Sonia Gandhi’s attitude toward the national song.
The Congress rejected the allegations. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party has followed a 1937 Congress Working Committee decision-on Rabindranath Tagore’s advice-to sing only the initial stanzas of Vande Mataram at Congress sessions, and asserted that the full version was in fact sung at the headquarters on Saturday. Ramesh denied that Sonia Gandhi attempted to stop the rendition, saying she had been asking for a chair for Kharge, who had been standing for a long time.
The row comes days after Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026: the Lok Sabha approved the Bill by voice vote on July 30, a day after it was cleared by the Rajya Sabha. The legislation makes insulting the national song a punishable offence and grants Vande Mataram a legal status on par with the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
The episode underscores heightened sensitivities around national symbols following the new law, and leaves both parties locked in a public dispute over intent and protocol at a politically significant Independence Day event.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/national/story/bjp-demands-apology-from-sonia-rahul-kharge-over-alleged-disrespect-to-vande-mataram-1438473-2026-08-16?utm_source=rssfeed
Category:
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-08-16 08:44:00
