BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, intensify a political dispute after a viral video appears to show Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi speaking or gesturing during the singing of “Vande Mataram” at the Congress headquarters during India’s 80th Independence Day celebrations on August 15. BJP figures accuse Congress leadership of trying to stop or interrupt the full rendition and demand an apology.
Congress disputes those claims, saying Sonia Gandhi’s gestures were about practical arrangements—specifically asking for a chair for Kharge, who was standing during the programme—and that the song was sung fully without interruption. Multiple reports describe the disagreement as centered on what the video’s gestures mean, with BJP representatives framing the interaction as disrespect and Congress portraying it as unrelated to the song.
The controversy also plays out alongside a broader national debate about how “Vande Mataram” is presented at official events. Shah links the issue to the song’s historical significance and to claims that Congress had earlier supported singing only the first two stanzas, while Congress points to its clarification of the incident. The dispute escalates further with at least one BJP complaint filed with police and additional criticism from BJP leaders.
