Archive · 16 Aug 2026
BJP slams Congress for Vande Mataram 'disrespect', demands apology
India celebrates its Independence Day every year on August 15.
This year was the 80th time the country celebrated its freedom.
During the celebration at the Congress party's headquarters, a very special song called 'Vande Mataram' was played.
This song is special because it was one of the first songs sung when India became independent in 1947.
Some leaders from another political party, the BJP, were angry during the song.
They said leaders of the Congress party — Mr. Kharge, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Mr. Rahul Gandhi — were chatting with each other and not paying attention while the song played.
The BJP leaders said the Congress leaders should say sorry for being disrespectful to the national song.
But Congress leaders said they were only trying to help their leader, who was tired from standing for a long time, by getting him a chair.
They said nobody tried to stop the song from playing.
So the two groups disagree about what really happened.
BJP leaders accused Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of interacting inattentively while 'Vande Mataram' played during the 80th Independence Day event at Congress headquarters.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi condemned the moment as 'utter disrespect' and demanded an apology and clarification from Congress leadership.
Trivedi noted this was the first Independence Day when 'Vande Mataram' was sung in full, uncut form, recalling that the first Constituent Assembly of independent India began with the song on the night of August 14-15, 1947.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey shared a video whose subtitles showed Rahul Gandhi saying the party was not singing 'Vande Mataram' but 'our own song,' though IANS did not confirm the audio-visuals.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said there was 'no attempt' to stop the rendition as a chair was being arranged for the long-standing Kharge, while BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged the Gandhis tried to stop the song and called Congress a 'Dimagi Naxal Congress.'
- Who
- Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi were criticized by BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari; Congress MP Jairam Ramesh gave the party's clarification.
- What
- A political controversy after the BJP accused Congress leaders of showing 'utter disrespect' by interacting inattentively while the national song Vande Mataram was played at the party's 80th Independence Day celebration, and demanded an apology.
- When
- August 15, during India's 80th Independence Day celebration.
- Where
- Congress party headquarters at Indira Bhawan, New Delhi.
- Why
- The BJP said the leaders' inattention and remarks during the national song showed disrespect toward a national symbol, while Congress said the leaders were only arranging a chair for Kharge, who had been standing for a long time.
Congress's Position
BJP's Position
Behavior during the national song
Congress's Position
The interaction was an administrative matter: Kharge had been standing for a long time and Sonia Gandhi was saying, 'Bring a chair for him and place it there' — no disrespect was intended.
BJP's Position
Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were not attentive while the national song was sung and were casually talking, passing remarks and even calling someone — an act of 'utter disrespect.'
Attempt to stop the rendition
Congress's Position
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh clarified there was 'no attempt' to stop the national song's rendition.
BJP's Position
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi tried to stop 'Vande Mataram'; a video shared by Nishikant Dubey carried subtitles (unconfirmed by IANS) of Rahul Gandhi saying the party was singing its 'own song.'
Respect for the national song and Constitution
Congress's Position
Congress maintained that the leaders' interaction did not amount to deliberate interruption or disrespect and dismissed the charges as politically motivated.
BJP's Position
Trivedi said the act shows Congress has not accepted the full version of Vande Mataram and that without an apology it would reflect the party's 'true faith and allegiance to the Constitution,' with its respect for the freedom struggle 'under grave question'; Bhandari called Congress a 'Dimagi Naxal Congress.'
- Event
- 80th Independence Day celebration
- Location
- Indira Bhawan, New Delhi (Congress party headquarters)
- National song
- Vande Mataram (sung in full, uncut form for the first time)
- Accusing party
- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
- Criticized leaders
- Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi
- BJP demand
- Apology and clarification from Congress leadership
- Congress response
- 'No attempt' to stop the rendition; a chair was being arranged for Kharge
- Historical reference
- First Constituent Assembly of independent India began with 'Vande Mataram' on the night of August 14-15, 1947
