Panjim, August 18: Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the singing of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters, party president Mallikarjun Kharge raised questions regarding the complaints filed against party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He argued that if singing an older version of Vande Mataram is considered a crime, then similar complaints should be lodged against Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In a conversation with reporters, Kharge stated, “What will they complain about? We sang the same Vande Mataram that Mahatma Gandhi sang. We have been singing the same version for the past 18 years, including during the Vajpayee government.”
He further emphasized, “If this is a crime, then they have been committing the same crime for the last 18 years. If this is a crime, then cases should be filed against Mahatma Gandhi. If this is a crime, then cases should be filed against Nehru.”
The controversy erupted during the singing of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters, Indira Bhawan, on Independence Day. Initially, the Congress had stated that only the first two lines of the national song would be sung, but the performance continued with the full version.
Earlier, Kharge had hoisted the national flag at the party headquarters, after which the singing of Vande Mataram commenced. Reports indicate that Sonia Gandhi was the first to notice that the singers were continuing with the full version. She reportedly gestured towards Kharge and later asked the singers to stop.
On Monday, a complaint was also filed with the Delhi Police against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The complaint demands the registration of an FIR regarding the alleged disruption of the singing of Vande Mataram during the Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters.
Kharge mentioned that the Congress had passed resolutions regarding national songs long before their critics emerged. He questioned, “Will what you say be the only truth? If another government comes in the future, will what they say be the only truth?”
The Congress president also responded to the issue of financial aid being halted. He stated that stopping funding is not appropriate and that any mistakes should be corrected.
Kharge noted that the Congress could take action on some issues, while in other cases, it would need to involve other parties. He opposed the halting of financial aid to educational institutions and other organizations, asserting that other parties also stand against it.
He concluded, “If there is a mistake, correct it. If someone needs to be jailed, then do so. Instead of stopping funding, it is the RSS that receives the most funding.”
Through this statement, Kharge targeted the central government regarding both the Vande Mataram controversy and the funding issue.
Leave a Comment