Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the basis of a complaint filed against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi regarding the singing of Vande Mataram [1].
The dispute centers on whether the version of the national song used by Congress leaders constitutes a disruption of the full text. Because the song is a potent symbol of Indian nationalism, the disagreement has sparked protests in Lucknow and legal challenges against the party leadership [1], [2].
Kharge said Tuesday that if the earlier version of the song is considered a crime, then complaints should also be filed against Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee [1]. He said that these historical figures used the same version of the song, rendering the current complaints unfounded [1].
The controversy follows events at the Congress party headquarters in Delhi and an Independence Day celebration in Goa [1]. In those instances, critics alleged that party leaders attempted to disrupt the singing of the full version of the song [1].
Protests have expanded beyond the legal filings. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha held a torchlight march to protest the actions of the Congress party [2].
Kharge said that the party's adherence to the version of the song used by the nation's founders is a matter of historical consistency rather than a lack of respect for the national song [1].
“Complaints should also be filed against Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.”
This clash reflects a broader struggle over the interpretation of national symbols in India. By invoking both the first Prime Minister and a former BJP leader like Vajpayee, Kharge is attempting to frame the dispute as a historical technicality rather than a political or patriotic failing.
