A new political controversy erupted on Independence Day after a video from the Congress headquarters in New Delhi showed senior party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi making hand gestures during a rendition of Vande Mataram.
The footage quickly spread on social media, with critics claiming that the Congress leaders appeared to signal that the song should be stopped. The video has triggered a fresh political clash between the Congress and BJP.
What happened at the Congress event?
Congress leaders and workers had gathered at the party headquarters in New Delhi to mark India’s 80th Independence Day.
During the programme, Vande Mataram was being performed when Sonia Gandhi and Kharge were seen making gestures towards people around them. Rahul Gandhi was later seen making a similar gesture.
The footage led to allegations that the Congress leadership was uncomfortable with the rendition of the National Song.
However, the video alone does not establish what the leaders intended by the gestures, and the Congress has not yet issued a detailed explanation of the incident.
Congress says there is no controversy
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot sought to downplay the issue when questioned about the video.
“There is no controversy. Congress’ high command or Jairam Ramesh will tell you about the party’s approach,” Gehlot said.
The controversy comes on a politically sensitive day, with both Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge also absent from the Independence Day ceremony at the Red Fort hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Their absence was attributed to what the Congress described as “improper protocols”.
Why has Vande Mataram become a political issue?
The latest controversy comes amid a wider political debate over Vande Mataram and how it should be performed at official events.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly criticised the Congress over the history of the National Song, particularly the decision to use only its first two stanzas in official settings.
Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and became one of the important symbols of India’s freedom movement.
The first two stanzas were adopted as India’s National Song, while the longer composition contains religious references that have historically generated debate.
Why is the issue significant now?
The timing has added to the political significance of the controversy.
This year’s Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort featured Vande Mataram before the National Anthem, with the country also marking 150 years of the song’s legacy.
The song was also performed in Parliament on the final day of the Monsoon Session.
Against this backdrop, the video from the Congress headquarters has provided the BJP and other critics with fresh grounds to attack the Opposition party.
For now, the Congress has not publicly provided a detailed explanation of the gestures seen in the footage. The controversy is therefore likely to continue as political parties debate the role and rendition of Vande Mataram.
