Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Amit Shah slams Congress, BJP Rajasthan apologizes for Vande Mataram
Every year on August 15th, India celebrates Independence Day by hoisting the national flag and singing a special song called Vande Mataram.
This year, some politicians made mistakes while doing this.
The Home Minister, Amit Shah, said the Congress party did not respect Vande Mataram at its celebration in New Delhi.
He said people would never forgive such a big mistake.
But a day earlier, leaders from his own party, the BJP, made a mistake too.
At a flag ceremony in Jaipur, the wrong version of Vande Mataram, from a movie, was played over the speakers.
The leader who organised the event, Madan Rathore, said sorry and called it a technical error.
The city government punished the sound company by not paying them for their work.
The Congress party's own ceremony also had a mix-up when the National Anthem played instead of Vande Mataram.
Another politician, Hanuman Beniwal, said everyone, including BJP leaders, should show respect for the flag and the national song through their actions, not just their words.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of humiliating Vande Mataram at the party's Independence Day function in New Delhi, calling it a sin people will never forgive.
A day earlier, a movie version of Vande Mataram from the 1952 film Anand Math, based on Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's novel, was played instead of the standard rendition at a BJP flag-hoisting event at Badi Chaupad in Jaipur led by state president Madan Rathore.
Rathore apologised, describing the incident as a 'technical error' with the same lyrics in a different musical style, while the Jaipur Municipal Corporation penalised the sound agency by withholding its payment.
A separate Congress ceremony at Badi Chaupad also hit a snag when the National Anthem began playing instead of Vande Mataram before leaders started singing the song.
RLP MP Hanuman Beniwal cited an upside-down Tricolour in Nawalgarh and Minister Suresh Rawat not saluting the flag in Bharatpur, saying BJP leaders should respect national symbols in conduct, not just speeches.
- Who
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, BJP Rajasthan president Madan Rathore, RLP MP Hanuman Beniwal, and the Jaipur Municipal Corporation.
- What
- A political row over the rendition of Vande Mataram and respect for the Tricolour at Independence Day functions, after a movie version of the national song was played at a BJP event in Jaipur.
- When
- Around Independence Day, August 15-16, 2026.
- Where
- Badi Chaupad in Jaipur, New Delhi, and other Rajasthan locations including Nawalgarh and Bharatpur.
- Why
- Political parties exchanged accusations over the mishandling of the national song and flag during Independence Day celebrations.
Critics of the BJP's handling
BJP leadership
Vande Mataram rendition at the Jaipur event
Critics of the BJP's handling
The Jaipur Municipal Corporation called the movie version of Vande Mataram 'gross negligence' that tarnished the dignity of the national festival and withheld the sound agency's payment; Hanuman Beniwal cited it as proof that BJP leaders do not know the rules of the national song.
BJP leadership
BJP Rajasthan president Madan Rathore said it was a 'technical error' — the lyrics were the same, only the musical style differed — and apologised for it.
Who disrespects the national symbols?
Critics of the BJP's handling
Amit Shah said Congress humiliated Vande Mataram at its New Delhi event and that people will never forgive such a sin.
BJP leadership
Hanuman Beniwal countered that BJP leaders, who reportedly hoisted the Tricolour upside down in Nawalgarh and had a minister not salute the flag in Bharatpur, should learn the rules themselves before 'distributing certificates of nationalism'.
- Event
- Independence Day 2026 flag-hoisting ceremonies
- Date
- August 15, 2026
- Location
- Badi Chaupad, Jaipur, Rajasthan (also New Delhi, Nawalgarh, and Bharatpur)
- BJP controversy
- Movie version of 'Vande Mataram' from the 1952 film 'Anand Math', sung by Lata Mangeshkar, played instead of the standard rendition
- Official response
- BJP Rajasthan president Madan Rathore apologised, calling the incident a 'technical error'
- Penalty
- Jaipur Municipal Corporation withheld payment to the sound agency
- Congress controversy
- National Anthem started playing instead of 'Vande Mataram' at the Congress ceremony at Badi Chaupad
- Other incidents
- Upside-down Tricolour in Nawalgarh; Minister Suresh Rawat did not salute the flag in Bharatpur