Controversy Surrounds Sonia Gandhi as Congress, TMC, and DMK Rally Support

New Delhi, August 16: Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi finds herself at the center of a controversy following an incident during the singing of ‘Vande Mataram‘ on the last day of Parliament’s monsoon session. In response, the Congress party, along with Trinamool Congress (TMC) and DMK, has come out in her support, while CPI(M) has demanded clarification from Congress on the matter.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari stated in a video message, “The BJP is now cornered from all sides, and its popularity is waning. Therefore, it is creating unnecessary disputes over the national anthem and flag.” He claimed that during a courtesy meeting after the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ in the Rajya Sabha, Sonia Gandhi praised Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

According to Tiwari, Sonia Gandhi remarked that Rijiju’s lips were in sync with ‘Vande Mataram,’ which he deemed commendable. He suggested that the BJP could confirm this with Kiren Rijiju himself.

The day before, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also defended Sonia Gandhi, asserting, “There was no attempt to stop the song. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was standing for a long time, so Sonia Gandhi was merely requesting a chair for him.”

TMC MP Kirti Azad also expressed support for Sonia Gandhi, claiming she is being unfairly targeted. He challenged BJP MPs, asking, “Can they sing all six stanzas of the national song? I honestly admit I cannot, but does that make me less patriotic? Is it fair to label someone anti-national just because they cannot sing ‘Vande Mataram’?”

Meanwhile, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan criticized the BJP, stating, “How can we say that Sonia Gandhi asked to stop the national song? She might have been indicating something else. The BJP is known for finding faults in everything while remaining silent about its own mistakes.”

CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby commented that there is some confusion regarding the singing of the full version of the national song and urged Congress to clarify its official stance on the issue. He noted that there are currently three Congress Chief Ministers in the country, each adopting different approaches in their respective states.

Baby told a news agency, “In Kerala, during the flag hoisting ceremony attended by Chief Minister VD Satheesan, only the national anthem was played, while ‘Vande Mataram’ was not. However, in Congress-ruled Telangana, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh, the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung. Therefore, the Congress leadership should clarify the party’s official position on the singing of ‘Vande Mataram.’”