Archive · 17 Aug 2026
Amit Shah Demands Congress Apology Over Alleged Vande Mataram Insult
In India, there is a very special song called 'Vande Mataram' that people sang long ago while the country was fighting to be free.
Every year on August 15, India celebrates Independence Day, the day the country became free.
A big leader named Amit Shah said that during the Congress party's Independence Day celebration, a lady named Sonia Gandhi told people to stop singing the song halfway.
He said the Congress should say sorry to the person who wrote the song, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and to all the people of India.
But the Congress party says that is not true - they say Sonia Gandhi was only asking for a chair for the party chief, who had been standing for a long time.
Another leader whose family member wrote the song also asked for an apology.
Some Congress leaders say the people complaining are just trying to distract everyone from other problems.
The gathering where Amit Shah spoke was also to remember another former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and a statue of him was revealed.
Many people across the country are watching, and the two big political groups do not agree about what really happened.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Congress of insulting the national song 'Vande Mataram' and demanded an apology to the people and to its author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Shah alleged that Sonia Gandhi asked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to stop the song midway during the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters, saying 'We all saw it on television.'
The Congress denied the allegation, saying Gandhi was only asking for a chair for Kharge, who had been standing, and accused the BJP of raising the issue with a divisive agenda.
Shah made the remarks at the Atal Gaurav Smriti Samaroh in Chittorgarh (Nimbahera), Rajasthan, on the death anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, where he unveiled a 21-foot-tall statue of Vajpayee.
BJP MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, also sought an unconditional apology from Sonia Gandhi over the alleged incident.
- Who
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders, who demanded the apology; Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party, who denied the allegation.
- What
- Amit Shah accused the Congress of insulting the national song 'Vande Mataram' by allegedly stopping it midway during the party's Independence Day programme and demanded an apology to the people and to the song's author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
- When
- Sunday, August 16, on the death anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee; the alleged incident occurred on August 15 during Independence Day celebrations.
- Where
- Chittorgarh (Nimbahera), Rajasthan, where Shah addressed the Atal Gaurav Smriti Samaroh; the alleged incident took place at the Congress (AICC) headquarters.
- Why
- Shah alleged the Congress had forgotten Vande Mataram due to vote-bank politics; the Congress said the BJP was creating a controversy with a divisive agenda to divert attention from real issues.
Congress and Opposition
BJP and Government
Was Vande Mataram stopped mid-way?
Congress and Opposition
The Congress denied the allegation, asserting there was no attempt to stop the full version of the song; Sonia Gandhi was only asking for a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing.
BJP and Government
Amit Shah and BJP leaders said Gandhi asked the party president to stop the song midway, that it was seen on television, and that it insulted the national song, freedom fighters and the country.
Why was the issue raised?
Congress and Opposition
Congress leader K.C. Venugopal alleged the BJP was raising the Vande Mataram issue with a divisive agenda to divert attention from issues such as Arunachal Pradesh, pellet guns and the Ayodhya Ram Temple.
BJP and Government
Amit Shah alleged the Congress had forgotten Vande Mataram due to vote-bank politics and said the people of the country would never forgive the 'sin' of stopping the song.
The 'dimagi Naxal' exchange
Congress and Opposition
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said he was proud to be a 'dimagi Naxal' in response to Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech.
BJP and Government
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said opposition to Vande Mataram points to a 'dimagi Naxal ecosystem' mindset and insults freedom fighters, the Constitution and India's 140 crore people.
- Accusation
- Sonia Gandhi allegedly asked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to stop 'Vande Mataram' midway during the Independence Day programme at Congress headquarters
- Accuser
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah
- Venue of remarks
- Atal Gaurav Smriti Samaroh, Chittorgarh (Nimbahera), Rajasthan
- Date
- Sunday, August 16, on the death anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee; alleged incident occurred on August 15
- Congress response
- Denied any attempt to stop the song; Sonia Gandhi was only asking for a chair for Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing
- Also demanding apology
- BJP MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
- Vajpayee tribute
- Shah unveiled a 21-foot-tall statue of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Nimbahera; credited him with making India a nuclear power after the Pokhran tests
- Shah's Independence Day remark
- After 80 years of Independence, the full version of Vande Mataram was sung at the Red Fort and all flag-hoisting events
Sources
'This sin will never be forgiven': Amit Shah targets Sonia Gandhi over Vande Mataram row
Cong should apologise for insulting Vande Mataram on Independence Day: Amit Shah
‘If there's any shame left...’: Shah, Bankim’s descendant demand Cong apology over Vande Mataram
‘Sin won’t be forgiven’: Amit Shah says Sonia Gandhi should be ashamed over Vande Mataram controversy
Sonia asked Kharge to stop Vande Mataram song midway: Shah
Amit Shah Demands Congress Apology Over Alleged ‘Vande Mataram’ Insult
