{
  "id": 1240619,
  "title": "Congress should apologise for insulting Vande Mataram on Independence Day: Amit Shah",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/congress-should-apologise-for-insulting-vande-mataram-on-independence",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-16T09:15:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/congress-should-apologise-for-insulting-vande-mataram-on-independence-day-amit-shah/article71352403.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his dissatisfaction with the Congress party on Sunday, accusing them of insulting the national song Vande Mataram during their Independence Day program. The minister alleged that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi requested the song to be halted midway. Shah contended that the Congress has lost sight of Vande Mataram due to the influence of vote-bank politics. He pointed out that after 80 years of independence, Vande Mataram was sung at the Red Fort and other locations where flag hoisting took place. Shah recounted that thousands of individuals were harmed or incarcerated for singing Vande Mataram during the freedom struggle. He specifically demanded that Sonia Gandhi apologize to the nation and to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the author of the song. In his speech at the Atal Gaurav Smriti Samaroh, Shah highlighted Atal Bihari Vajpayee's accomplishments, including transforming India into a nuclear power and improving tribal welfare, which culminated in the election of tribal-origin President Droupadi Murmu. Shah emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to prioritize tribal welfare. Additionally, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma commended the country's improved security under Shah's leadership and highlighted Vajpayee's role in combating Left-wing extremism and enacting new criminal laws.",
  "summary": "Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that during the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters, Sonia Gandhi asked Vande Mataram to be stopped midway through the song",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "Students detained ahead of Amit Shah's Alwar visit as they planned protest to demand his resignation over CJP crackdown",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/students-detained-ahead-of-amit-shahs-alwar-visit-as-they-planned",
        "published": "2026-08-16T06:21:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Ahead of Amit Shah’s visit to Alwar, students detained before proposed protest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/ahead-of-amit-shahs-visit-to-alwar-students-detained-before-proposed",
        "published": "2026-08-16T06:24:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Press Journal",
        "title": "Alwar: Students Detained Ahead Of Amit Shah's Visit Over Planned Black-Flag Protest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/alwar-students-detained-ahead-of-amit-shahs-visit-over-planned-black",
        "published": "2026-08-16T07:43:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "‘Congress should feel ashamed’: Amit Shah targets Sonia Gandhi over Vande Mataram row",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/congress-should-feel-ashamed-amit-shah-targets-sonia-gandhi-over",
        "published": "2026-08-16T08:02:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Congress leaders, some students detained ahead of Amit Shah’s Alwar visit",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/congress-leaders-some-students-detained-ahead-of-amit-shahs-alwar",
        "published": "2026-08-16T08:16:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}