Vande Mataram Controversy: Mallikarjun Kharge Hits Back at BJP Over National Song Row
The Vande Mataram Controversy has intensified after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge responded to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s criticism over the singing of the national song during Independence Day celebrations.
The dispute began after a video from the August 15 Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters surfaced. The footage showed Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi appearing to speak to each other while Vande Mataram was being sung. The BJP subsequently accused the Congress leadership of disrespecting the national song and demanded a public apology.
Kharge, however, has defended the version of Vande Mataram sung at the event. He said Congress had followed the same version that had historically been sung by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Mallikarjun Kharge Defends Congress Position
Responding to the BJP’s criticism, Kharge maintained that Congress had not changed its approach to Vande Mataram. According to him, the party sang the same version that had been followed for decades.
Kharge argued that the matter should be viewed in the context of the historical decisions taken by the Congress before Independence. He pointed out that Congress had passed a resolution long before his birth regarding which song should be adopted for the country.
He also questioned the idea that a government or political party could simply decide what should become a national standard.
Kharge said that Congress had continued a tradition that had been followed for around 90 years. His remarks were aimed at the BJP’s criticism of the party’s handling of Vande Mataram during the Independence Day programme.
How Did the Vande Mataram Controversy Begin?
The latest Vande Mataram Controversy erupted after the August 15 celebrations at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi. A video from the event circulated widely, showing Kharge and Sonia Gandhi apparently speaking while the national song was being performed.
The BJP quickly targeted the Congress leadership over the incident. Party leaders accused Congress of disrespecting a song that has played a major role in India’s freedom movement and demanded an apology.
The controversy subsequently developed into a political confrontation between the Congress and BJP, with both sides presenting their own arguments about the historical and political significance of Vande Mataram.
Kharge Says Congress Followed a Long-Standing Tradition
Kharge said the Congress position was not something that had been created recently. He referred to the party’s historical decisions and said the version being followed today was connected to a tradition that had existed for decades.
He also questioned whether every decision made by one government should automatically become a permanent national standard.
According to Kharge, political governments can change, but historical traditions and decisions cannot simply be rewritten according to the preferences of the government in power.
His comments came as the BJP continued to attack Congress over the Independence Day incident.
Vande Mataram Row Reaches Goa
The controversy did not remain limited to New Delhi. It also became a political issue during a Congress programme in Goa.
At a Goa Pradesh Congress Committee event on Monday, only two stanzas of Vande Mataram were sung during the programme. Kharge was present at the event.
The Congress president also used the occasion to launch a broader political attack on the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Addressing a public gathering in South Goa, Kharge questioned the contribution of the BJP and RSS to India’s freedom struggle.
He also took a swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah while criticising the political situation in Goa.
Kharge Attacks Goa Government
During his address in South Goa, Kharge accused the ruling side in the state of using political pressure against Congress. He alleged that the government had attempted to form a government by “kidnapping legislators,” a serious political allegation that has added another dimension to the confrontation between Congress and the ruling establishment.
Kharge said Congress leaders in Goa were continuing to work despite what he described as attempts by the local government to intimidate and suppress them.
He expressed confidence that such efforts would not succeed and said Congress leaders would continue working together ahead of the upcoming elections.
Congress Focuses on Unity Ahead of Elections
Kharge also spoke about his efforts to bring Congress leaders together ahead of future electoral battles.
He said he had contacted his senior leaders individually and stressed the importance of fighting the next elections as a united organisation. According to Kharge, the leaders assured him that they would stand together and work toward victory.
He also said he had met representatives from different sections of society, listened to their concerns and discussed the issues affecting them.
Kharge expressed satisfaction that Congress leaders in Goa were continuing to work together despite political pressure.
Political Battle Over Vande Mataram Continues
The Vande Mataram Controversy has now become another flashpoint in the continuing political battle between Congress and BJP. What began with a video from an Independence Day programme has developed into a wider argument involving history, national symbols, political traditions and the freedom movement.
For Congress, Kharge’s response is centred on the argument that the party followed a long-established tradition. The BJP, meanwhile, has questioned the conduct of Congress leaders during the singing of Vande Mataram and demanded that the party clarify its position.
With both parties continuing to exchange allegations, the controversy is likely to remain part of the political debate surrounding national symbols and India’s history.
The dispute also highlights how deeply symbolic issues such as Vande Mataram continue to influence Indian politics, particularly around Independence Day and other major national occasions.
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