The rendition of the complete six stanzas of Vande Mataram on the headquarters of the Indian Nationwide Congress triggered an issue on Saturday (August 15, 2026) after the Congress Parliamentary Social gathering (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi was seen gesturing in the course of the track, prompting the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) to allege that she had tried to cease it, whereas the Congress denied the cost.
At a ceremony to hoist the nationwide flag at Indira Bhawan right here, Ms. Gandhi was seen gesturing in direction of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge whereas the nationwide track was being sung. A Seva Dal volunteer then approached the CPP chairperson and spoke to her.
Subsequently, Ms. Gandhi and the Chief of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have been seen having an animated dialogue with Seva Dal chief B.V. Srinivas, and his predecessor Lalji Desai.
A scorching mic scenario purportedly revealed Mr. Gandhi was saying that the Congress was singing “our model of Vande Mataram”.
“In the present day, on Independence Day, when Vande Mataram was sung in its entirety consistent with the feelings of tens of millions of Indians, the sight of Congress’s supreme chief Sonia Gandhi, tremendous president Rahul Gandhi, and present president Mallikarjun Kharge conversing with each other and displaying disrespect on the Congress workplace at the exact same time is totally weird, ironic, and unlucky,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi stated in a submit on social media platform X.
“We condemn this conduct of the Congress celebration’s prime management and anticipate the Congress celebration to apologise to the nation for it,” Mr. Trivedi stated, calling it an insult to the nationwide track.
Defending the celebration’s place, Congress’s communications chief Jairam Ramesh stated Ms. Gandhi had been asking for a chair for Mr. Kharge. “Because the Congress president was standing for a very long time, Sonia ji was asking for a chair for him,” Mr. Ramesh claimed. “However in the present day, at Indira Bhawan, the complete model [of the Vande Mataram] was sung. There isn’t any query of an issue over it,” he added.
Mr. Ramesh cited historical past to argue Rabindranath Tagore had instructed that solely the primary few stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung. On October 28, 1937, a gathering of the Congress Working Committee was held in Calcutta within the presence of Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Govind Ballabh Pant, and C. Rajagopalachari.
“On the recommendation of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, they determined that the preliminary stanzas of Vande Mataram can be sung at Congress periods,” Mr. Ramesh stated, including that Tagore had given this recommendation to Nehru and Bose.
The Congress had opposed the Invoice that added legal provisions to an alleged insult whereas singing Vande Mataram, he added.
“This was mentioned in Parliament for 16 hours. We put ahead our views. I narrated the entire historical past round it, which the Prime Minister and the Dwelling Minister didn’t know. I knowledgeable MPs of the context during which the Vande Mataram determination was taken,” Mr. Ramesh stated.
The controversy assumes significance in opposition to the backdrop of pointers issued by the Union Dwelling Ministry in February, and reiterated in July, on the observance of the nationwide track, and the next passage of the Prevention of Insults to Nationwide Honour (Modification) Act, 2026.
In July, Parliament handed the Prevention of Insults to Nationwide Honour (Modification) Invoice, 2026, attempting to cease or stop the singing or enjoying of the nationwide track an offence. The Invoice was handed by a voice vote within the Lok Sabha on July 30, 2026, a day after it was permitted by the Rajya Sabha. The regulation additionally accords Vande Mataram a standing on par with the nationwide anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
Earlier, the Ministry of Dwelling Affairs issued detailed pointers on the observance of Vande Mataram, directing that every one six stanzas of the official model be rendered first, at any time when the nationwide track and nationwide anthem are carried out collectively.
The rules say the complete six-stanza model is to be sung or performed on key state events, together with the arrival of the President, the unfurling of the nationwide flag and addresses by Governors, civil investitures, on the arrival and departure of the President and Governors at formal State capabilities, and at different capabilities organised by the federal government.
Vande Mataram can be to be performed instantly earlier than and after the President’s handle to the nation, and when the nationwide flag is introduced on parade. The Ministry has additional directed that folks current at assemblies the place the nationwide track is carried out stand to consideration.
Printed – August 15, 2026 03:06 pm IST
