NEW DELHI: Union residence minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a pointy assault on Congress over an argument surrounding the rendition of Vande Mataram on the celebration’s Independence Day occasion, accusing it of insulting the nationwide track and alleging that the incident was pushed by “vote-bank” politics.Addressing a rally in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, Shah alleged that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had requested celebration staff to cease the rendition whereas it was being sung on the Congress headquarters on Saturday.“Take a look at their (Congress’s) shamelessness. The anthem Vande Mataram was being sung on the Congress Party headquarters. Through the anthem, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi instructed the Congress President to cease singing. All of us simply saved watching on TV,” Shah stated.He straight addressed Sonia Gandhi, saying, “Sonia ji, 140 crore individuals are watching you. This sin you’ve got dedicated won’t ever be forgiven by the individuals of this nation.”“How can anybody even dream of leaving the anthem Vande Mataram incomplete? The individuals of Congress ought to really feel ashamed,” he added.Shah additionally accused the Congress of getting “forgotten Vande Mataram out of greed for vote banks” and stated the celebration ought to apologise to the individuals for allegedly insulting the nationwide track.
Congress denies BJP’s allegation
The controversy erupted on Saturday after the BJP shared video footage from the Congress’s Independence Day programme at Indira Bhawan and alleged that Sonia Gandhi had objected whereas Vande Mataram was being performed.The Congress rejected the allegation and maintained that the complete model of Vande Mataram was sung on the occasion.Congress normal secretary Jairam Ramesh stated the celebration’s place on the track was rooted in its historical past and cited a 1937 assembly of the Congress Working Committee in Calcutta, attended by leaders together with Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Jawaharlal Nehru.Ramesh stated the CWC had determined, following recommendation from Rabindranath Tagore, that the opening stanzas of Vande Mataram could be sung at Congress classes.He additionally rejected the declare that Sonia Gandhi had sought to cease the track. In keeping with Ramesh, she was asking celebration staff to rearrange a chair for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing for a while.
Share your ideas within the feedback
Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
“The total model was sung at Saturday’s occasion, there isn’t any query of an argument over it,” Ramesh stated.BJP has continued to focus on the Congress over the incident, with celebration leaders accusing it of displaying disrespect in the direction of Vande Mataram.The row comes shortly after Parliament handed laws coping with disrespect in the direction of the nationwide track.The Prevention of Insults to Nationwide Honour (Modification) Invoice, 2026 was cleared by the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha in July and accords Vande Mataram a standing on par with the nationwide anthem, Jana Gana Mana.Shah’s remarks got here after he attended an occasion in Chittorgarh with Rajasthan chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma, the place they unveiled a statue of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his demise anniversary.
