BJP Accuses Congress of Disrespecting National Anthem Vande Mataram

New Delhi, August 19: The controversy surrounding the national anthem ‘Vande Mataram’ shows no signs of abating. Following a perceived disrespect of the anthem by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on August 15, the BJP has ramped up its criticism. On Wednesday, BJP leaders once again accused Congress of deliberately insulting the national song.

Senior BJP leader Ajay Mishra stated, “’Vande Mataram’ is our national anthem. It was penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay 150 years ago. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had decided to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the anthem with full respect and even proposed a bill to ensure that all six verses are sung, rather than just two.”

He targeted Congress, saying, “Before independence, all six verses were sung, but later the Congress party reduced it to just two. After the bill was passed, their demeanor indicated a lack of respect for the national anthem that should be present. Following the viral video, it is clear that there is growing anger and resentment among people towards those who do not honor the anthem fully.”

He added, “The video is available; although I was not there, it appears they were asking to stop ‘Vande Mataram’ and at one point, it was indeed halted. The behavior of Kharge, Sonia, and Rahul Gandhi serves as evidence. This is not a new issue. There is a strong ideology behind it that persists even today.”

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also launched a sharp attack on Congress. He remarked, “The Congress party made a significant mistake regarding ‘Vande Mataram.’ Due to the incomplete version of ‘Vande Mataram,’ it suffered losses for decades. Now, PM Modi provided an opportunity to rectify this mistake, but the Congress party missed that chance.”

Naqvi accused, “When Congress succumbed to the pressure of the Muslim League and altered ‘Vande Mataram’ to appease them, it not only fragmented ‘Vande Mataram’ but also divided the nation. Opposing ‘Vande Mataram’ is not just a mistake; it is a calculated election strategy, and they are doing it deliberately.”

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