Amit Shah targets Sonia Gandhi over Vande Mataram row, seeks apology; full version of song played, says Congress

A political disagreement arose on Sunday after Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of attempting to halt the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters during Independence Day celebrations. Shah stated that the Congress should apologize to the nation for its behavior. However, the Congress refuted the claim and defended its leader, asserting that the complete version of the song was sung at their Independence Day event.

Addressing a crowd in Nimbahera, Rajasthan, Shah highlighted how the Congress had not honored Vande Mataram properly. He reminded the audience of the sacrifices made by those who fought for India's independence, and accused the party of dishonoring the nation's values for the sake of political gain. He emphasized that when the national song was played at the Congress headquarters, Sonia Gandhi allegedly signaled for it to stop, claiming it was an act of disrespect.

The Congress Communications Incharge, Jairam Ramesh, refuted the allegations, stating that there was no intention to interrupt the song. He explained that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had been standing for a while, and Sonia Gandhi had simply requested a chair for him. Ramesh also detailed the history of Vande Mataram's inclusion in Congress gatherings, noting that it was the Congress Working Committee's decision in 1937 to include the song in their conventions, and that the full version of the song was sung at the party's Independence Day festivities.

Sumitro Chatterjee, a BJP MLA and a descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, requested an immediate and unconditional apology from Sonia Gandhi. He expressed deep pain and anger over the incident, calling it a shameless repetition of a historical error. Chatterjee reminded the public of past compromises by the Congress, such as bowing to Mohammad Ali Jinnah's objections during the 1937 elections, and warned of the party's inconsistent behavior.