‘Which of your leaders fought for Independence?’ Kharge targets BJP, RSS after I-Day row

Amid controversy over Vande Mataram's rendition at an Independence Day event, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the BJP and RSS as "anti-India" during a convention in South Goa's Verna. He questioned their role in India's freedom struggle, asking where their leaders fought for independence. Kharge accused the BJP and RSS of merely writing letters to the British pledging support and not actively fighting for the country's freedom.

He accused the two organizations of being "slaves of the British" and teaching followers to perform religious purification rituals, calling it a shame on the country. When Congress workers sang the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram, the BJP accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of trying to prevent the full rendition and demanded an apology.

Kharge defended his party, stating that Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru dedicated their lives to the freedom struggle, while the BJP and RSS wrote letters to the British seeking support. He accused the BJP of stealing MLAs and engineering defections, calling the BJP government in Goa a "government of thieves." Kharge appealed for unity in the Congress party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, urging workers to focus on booth-level work and tackle issues such as drug issue, job creation, inflation, and environmental protection.

He also warned against rich people from other states purchasing land in Goa, suggesting they do so for their own benefit rather than for the good of the state.