Archive · 16 Aug 2026
BJP Claims Sonia Gandhi Objected to Vande Mataram; Congress Denies
On Saturday, India celebrated its 80th Independence Day.
During the celebrations at the Congress party's office in New Delhi, an important Indian song called 'Vande Mataram' was played in full.
A video of the event went viral, and leaders from the BJP party said that Sonia Gandhi, a famous politician, asked for the song to be stopped.
The Congress party said that is not true — she was just asking for a chair for another leader, Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing for a long time.
Several BJP leaders, including Amit Malviya, Gopal Krishna Agarwal and Sudhanshu Trivedi, said Gandhi was being disrespectful to a song that is a symbol of India's freedom struggle.
The complete song was also played at the famous Red Fort in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi before he raised the flag.
The government has said the complete song should be sung at official events and schools, but the Congress thinks the government is using the song for politics.
The song 'Vande Mataram' was written long ago by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and was used by freedom fighters during India's fight for independence.
Now, a new law makes it a punishable offence to insult or intentionally stop the singing of the national song.
BJP leaders accused Sonia Gandhi of objecting to the full 'Vande Mataram' rendition at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day, with spokespersons Gopal Krishna Agarwal and Sudhanshu Trivedi calling the scene 'utterly shameful', 'objectionable' and 'disrespectful'.
The Congress denied the charge, saying Gandhi was merely gesturing to ask for a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing during the ceremony at Indira Bhawan.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya alleged Gandhi became agitated after the initial stanzas and asked for the song to be stopped, while Rahul Gandhi too 'appeared to signal' that it should end.
The full 'Vande Mataram' was also played at the Red Fort by an Army band before Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the National Flag, followed by the National Anthem.
The row follows the Centre's February mandate that all six stanzas be sung at public gatherings, schools and official functions, and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which makes intentional obstruction of the national song a criminal offence.
- Who
- Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh; BJP leaders Gopal Krishna Agarwal, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Amit Malviya, B L Santhosh, Anurag Thakur, Pradeep Bhandari and R P Singh; and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- What
- A political dispute over a viral video that appeared to show Sonia Gandhi trying to stop the full 'Vande Mataram' rendition at Congress headquarters, a claim the Congress said was misleading.
- When
- Saturday, August 15, 2026 — India's 80th Independence Day.
- Where
- Congress headquarters (Indira Bhawan / AICC headquarters) in New Delhi and the Red Fort.
- Why
- The controversy intensified a wider debate after the Centre mandated the full six stanzas of 'Vande Mataram' at official functions, schools and public gatherings, and Parliament passed a law protecting the national song, which the Congress accused the BJP-led government of politicising.
Congress
BJP
Viral video over 'Vande Mataram' rendition
Congress
The claim is misleading; Sonia Gandhi was only gesturing for a chair for Kharge, and the full version of the song was sung at the Indira Bhawan event without interruption.
BJP
Sonia Gandhi objected to the full rendition, became agitated after the initial stanzas and asked for the song to be stopped; Rahul Gandhi also appeared to signal for it to end — an 'utterly shameful' and 'disrespectful' scene.
Singing all six stanzas at official events
Congress
The Congress criticised the government's decision to mandate the full song, accusing the BJP-led government of politicising a national symbol.
BJP
The Centre mandated the complete 'Vande Mataram' at schools, public gatherings and official functions, and the new legal framework means the complete national song must now be respected.
Congress and the national song's history
Congress
Jairam Ramesh said the 1937 Congress Working Committee, on Rabindranath Tagore's advice, decided the initial stanzas would be sung at Congress sessions, a practice followed ever since; the full version was sung on Saturday with no controversy.
BJP
BJP leaders alleged the Congress's attitude recalls its 'Emergency mindset' that the people have rejected, and accused the Congress of being 'divisive' for omitting stanzas and of opposing 'Vande Mataram' for vote-bank politics.
- Event
- India's 80th Independence Day celebrations (August 15, 2026)
- Viral claim
- Sonia Gandhi asked organisers to stop the full 'Vande Mataram' rendition at Congress headquarters
- Congress response
- Gandhi was gesturing to ask for a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, not trying to stop the song
- BJP accusation
- Scenes called 'utterly shameful', 'objectionable' and 'disrespectful'; BJP leaders demanded an apology to the nation
- Red Fort programme
- Army band played the full song before PM Modi hoisted the National Flag, followed by the National Anthem
- Government mandate
- Centre mandated the full version of 'Vande Mataram' at public gatherings, schools and official functions (announced in February)
- Song history
- Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875; incorporated into Anandamath; first sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress session in Calcutta; first used as a political slogan on August 7, 1905
- New law
- Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, passed by Lok Sabha on July 30, 2026, giving 'Vande Mataram' status on par with the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana'
Sources
BJP Claims Sonia Gandhi Opposed Vande Mataram Full Version; Congress Denies
BJP Claims Sonia Gandhi Tried To Stop Singing Of Vande Mataram, Congress Denies
BJP claims Sonia ‘objected’ to full version of Vande Mataram at event, Cong denies charge
BJP accuses Sonia Gandhi of objecting to Vande Mataram recitation, Congress denies
