A new political controversy broke out on Saturday after a video from the Congress’s Independence Day event at its headquarters in New Delhi appeared to show party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi making gestures that seemed to signal workers to stop the rendition of the national song, Vande Mataram.
Rahul Gandhi was also seen making what appeared to be a similar gesture shortly afterwards, prompting strong reactions on social media and allegations that the Congress leadership was uncomfortable with the song being played.
The footage from the Congress event shows Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kharge and other party leaders and workers attending the Independence Day programme.
As Vande Mataram continued to be performed, Sonia Gandhi and Kharge were seen making hand movements towards people nearby that appeared to indicate that the rendition should be stopped.
Rahul Gandhi was subsequently seen making a similar gesture. The video has since circulated widely online, with critics accusing Congress leaders of showing disrespect towards the National Song.
The Congress, however, attempted to downplay the issue. When reporters asked senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot about the video and the allegations, he said there was “no controversy” and suggested that the Congress high command or Jairam Ramesh would explain the party’s position.
The controversy came shortly after Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, did not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day event at Delhi’s Red Fort, citing “improper protocols”.
BJP VS CONGRESS ON VANDE MATARAM
The latest dispute comes amid a growing political confrontation over Vande Mataram, particularly concerning whether its complete version should be performed at official and public events.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly criticised the Congress on the issue, alleging that the party historically shortened the National Song by retaining only its first two stanzas.
During a recent parliamentary discussion, Modi accused the Congress of having “cut” Vande Mataram and criticised how the party dealt with objections to parts of the song before Independence.
Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875 and later included in his novel Anandamath, Vande Mataram became an important slogan during India’s freedom movement.
The first two stanzas were eventually adopted as the National Song, while the complete composition contains additional passages that have historically attracted debate because of their religious imagery and references to Hindu traditions.
KERALA ORDER ON NATIONAL SONG
The issue has also become a point of political contention in Kerala, where the Congress-led state government recently issued Independence Day guidelines for schools that focused on flag hoisting and singing the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, without specifically directing schools to perform Vande Mataram.
The decision came amid a broader dispute over the Centre’s directions concerning the National Song and drew criticism from the BJP.
Vande Mataram, meanwhile, featured prominently in this year’s Independence Day celebrations.
At the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi’s ceremony included the National Song before the national anthem, with the occasion also marking 150 years of its legacy.
The song was also performed in Parliament on the final day of the Monsoon Session, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha concluding proceedings with Vande Mataram.
Against this backdrop, the footage from the Congress event has provided the BJP and other critics with fresh grounds to attack the opposition party.
The Congress has not yet issued a detailed explanation of the gestures seen in the video, leaving the dispute likely to persist until the party leadership formally clarifies what happened.
