Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Kharge calls BJP, RSS anti-India and anti-religion in Goa
A big political fight is happening in India right now.
Mallikarjun Kharge leads a political party called the Congress.
He spoke at a big meeting of his party workers in a place called Goa.
At the meeting, he said another party called the BJP and a group called the RSS are 'anti-India' and 'anti-religion'.
He asked why they held a special prayer ceremony to clean a building after he gave a speech in Uttarakhand.
He said that was a shame for the country and asked whether such actions are what their religion teaches.
He also said the Congress party, not the BJP or RSS, fought for India's freedom long ago.
A leader named Amit Shah said Sonia Gandhi, from the Congress, tried to stop a patriotic song called Vande Mataram from being sung fully, but the Congress says that is not true.
Kharge also said that in Goa's government, ten out of twelve ministers used to be in the Congress party but left it.
He asked voters not to support those defectors and to vote for the Congress instead.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called the BJP and RSS 'anti-India' and 'anti-religion' at a workers' convention in Verna, South Goa.
He questioned the BJP and RSS role in India's freedom struggle, claiming they wrote letters to the British pledging support while Congress leaders said 'Do or die'.
He criticised a 'purification' havan held at Ramlila Maidan, Uttarakhand after his August 8 speech, calling it a shame on the country.
The row follows Union Home Minister Amit Shah's accusation that Sonia Gandhi tried to stop the full rendition of Vande Mataram, which the Congress denied.
Kharge called Goa's BJP government a 'government of thieves', noted 10 of 12 ministers are former Congress defectors, and warned against land purchases by wealthy outsiders.
- Who
- Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, the BJP, the RSS, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Sonia Gandhi
- What
- Kharge attacked the BJP and RSS as 'anti-India' and 'anti-religion', questioned their freedom-struggle record, and urged voters not to back defectors in Goa
- When
- Monday, amid a row over Vande Mataram and a 'purification' havan after his August 8 speech in Uttarakhand
- Where
- Congress convention at Verna, South Goa
- Why
- Political dispute over patriotism and religion, the Vande Mataram rendition, defections in Goa, and land purchases by outsiders
Congress
BJP/RSS
Vande Mataram rendition
Congress
Congress says the full rendition of Vande Mataram was sung at party headquarters and denied that Sonia Gandhi tried to stop it.
BJP/RSS
Amit Shah accused Sonia Gandhi of attempting to stop the full rendition of Vande Mataram and said the Congress should apologise to the nation.
Patriotism and the freedom struggle
Congress
Kharge said Congress fought for independence while BJP and RSS leaders wrote letters to the British pledging support, calling them 'anti-India'.
BJP/RSS
According to Kharge, the BJP and RSS call the Congress 'anti-India' and teach the party patriotism despite having no freedom-struggle record.
- Event
- Congress convention of booth-level agents and workers
- Location
- Verna, South Goa
- Main speaker
- Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress President
- Key accusation
- BJP and RSS are 'anti-India' and 'anti-religion'
- Purification ritual
- Havan at Ramlila Maidan, Uttarakhand, after Kharge's August 8 speech
- Vande Mataram row
- Amit Shah accused Sonia Gandhi of trying to stop the full rendition; Congress denied it
- Goa Cabinet
- 10 of 12 ministers are former Congress members
- Election target
- 2027 Goa Assembly elections
