Vande Mataram Row Erupts at Congress I-Day Event
BJP alleges Sonia Gandhi objected to full rendition; Congress says she was asking for a chair for Mallikarjun Kharge
- BJP leaders accused Sonia Gandhi of objecting to the full rendition of Vande Mataram.
- Congress rejected the allegation, saying Gandhi was asking for a chair for party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
- BJP leaders Sudhanshu Trivedi and Amit Malviya criticised the Congress leadership over the incident.
- The controversy comes amid renewed political debate over the complete rendition of Vande Mataram.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 15th Aug: A political controversy erupted at the Congress’s Independence Day event in Delhi on Saturday after the BJP accused senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of objecting to the full rendition of Vande Mataram. The Congress rejected the allegation, maintaining that Gandhi was merely asking for a chair for party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The BJP escalated its criticism following the incident at the Congress headquarters, where the complete version of the national song was reportedly played.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that senior Congress leaders appeared to object to the continuation of the song. He said the development was “strange” and “unfortunate” and questioned the Congress’s position on Vande Mataram.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also alleged that Sonia Gandhi appeared agitated after the initial stanzas and sought to have the rendition stopped. He claimed Rahul Gandhi also appeared to signal that it should end.
The Congress, however, disputed the BJP’s interpretation of the visuals. According to the party’s explanation, Sonia Gandhi was not objecting to Vande Mataram but was asking for a chair for Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing for some time.
The controversy comes amid renewed political debate over the complete rendition of Vande Mataram. The first two stanzas of the song, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, were adopted as the National Song in 1937, while the remaining stanzas were not included in the adopted version.
The BJP has repeatedly criticised the Congress over the omission of the later stanzas, while Congress leaders have cited the historical and social context surrounding the adoption of the song.
The issue has gained further prominence this year as the government marks the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. The Parliament also recently passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides legal protection against intentional obstruction or disruption of the singing of Vande Mataram.
The latest exchange has added another political flashpoint to Independence Day celebrations, with the BJP framing the episode as a question of respect for the National Song and the Congress maintaining that the allegations against Sonia Gandhi are unfounded.
