A controversy erupted following allegations that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi attempted to disrupt the rendition of 'Vande Mataram' during Independence Day celebrations at the AICC headquarters. Senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Amit Shah and Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, strongly criticized Gandhi, accusing her of disrespecting the national song and its author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and engaging in appeasement politics. Conversely, the Congress party has categorically denied these claims, asserting that Gandhi was merely seeking a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and that there was no intention to stop the song. The controversy has led to a police complaint being filed against Gandhi in Karnataka, with a BJP leader seeking legal action under relevant Indian statutes, further intensifying the political fallout.

A controversy erupted following allegations that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi attempted to disrupt the rendition of 'Vande Mataram' during Independence Day celebrations at the AICC headquarters. Senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Amit Shah and Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, strongly criticized Gandhi, accusing her of disrespecting the national song and its author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and engaging in appeasement politics. Conversely, the Congress party has categorically denied these claims, asserting that Gandhi was merely seeking a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and that there was no intention to stop the song. The controversy has led to a police complaint being filed against Gandhi in Karnataka, with a BJP leader seeking legal action under relevant Indian statutes, further intensifying the political fallout.

A controversy erupted following allegations that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi attempted to disrupt the rendition of 'Vande Mataram' during Independence Day celebrations at the AICC headquarters. Senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Amit Shah and Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, strongly criticized Gandhi, accusing her of disrespecting the national song and its author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and engaging in appeasement politics. Conversely, the Congress party has categorically denied these claims, asserting that Gandhi was merely seeking a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and that there was no intention to stop the song. The controversy has led to a police complaint being filed against Gandhi in Karnataka, with a BJP leader seeking legal action under relevant Indian statutes, further intensifying the political fallout.

The alleged attempt by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to disrupt the rendition of Vande Mataram during the Independence Day celebrations at AICC headquarters snowballed into a major controversy after senior BJP leaders put the Opposition party in the dock.

Union Minister Amit Shah and Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari were among the BJP leaders who attacked Sonia Gandhi for “disrespecting” Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who wrote the song. Local media reports also said a complaint was filed at the Urva police station in Mangaluru against Sonia Gandhi for disrespecting 'Vande Mataram'.

At a public meeting in Chittorgarh, Shah accused Sonia of asking Vande Mataram to be stopped midway through the song. “Thousands of people faced bullets and lathis and were jailed for singing 'Vande Mataram'," Shah said, referring to the use of the revolutionary slogan during the freedom struggle.

"We all saw it on television," Shah said. "If there is any shame left,  you should fold your hands and apologise to Bankim Babu's immortal spirit and the people," he said, adding that the Congress had forgotten 'Vande Mataram' due to vote-bank politics.

The Congress has denied the charge, asserting that there was no attempt to stop the singing of the full version of the national song and that Gandhi was only asking for a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge as he was standing for quite some time.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari too slammed Sonia Gandhi, saying her "objection" to singing the full version of Vande Mataram was an "insult" to nationalism and the song's writer, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.

"I condemn Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi's objection to Vande Mataram at party office. This is an insult to nationalism, patriotism and overall to the creator of Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay," Adhikari told reporters at the state secretariat here.

He accused the Congress of indulging in "high appeasement politics" to satisfy "one particular vote bank" and demanded that the party apologise over the issue. "The entire Bengal is fuming. The Congress cannot hide anything; the entire country has seen how Sonia Gandhi was visibly furious when Vande Mataram was being played. Everything is on record," Adhikari said.

He also pointed out that Parliament has brought in a law over the singing of Vande Mataram.

BJP MLA and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's descendant, Sumitro Chatterjee, has also demanded an unconditional apology from  Sonia Gandhi. Chatterjee alleged that there was unease about singing the full version of Vande Mataram during the event and that repeated attempts were made to stop it. He described the alleged incident as not only unfortunate but also a shameless repetition of a historical wrong.

Case against Sonia

Vikas Puttur, a BJP leader from Karnataka, said in his complaint that Sonia’s act appeared to be a deliberate act intended to disturb the peace and an insult to our country's national anthem.  "Therefore, I request that appropriate legal action be taken immediately against Sonia Gandhi, as this act constitutes a crime under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act and Sections 195 and 352 of the Indian Penal Code," he said. Vikas Puttur warned that if an FIR is not registered, he will file a private complaint in the High Court.

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