Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge retaliated and slammed Union Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Vande Mataram row. Kharge said the issue was being used by the BJP as a diversion from the rising dollar rate, unemployment and other economic concerns.
He further said that if Amit Shah and PM Modi are truly patriotic, they should go to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur and ask Mohan Bhagwat to ensure that Vande Mataram is sung there.
On the CWC resolution on Vande Mataram, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said, “This is a tactic to divert from Jantar Mantar protest, RSS misgivings, unemployment issue, economic issue. The rupee-to-dollar rate is now Rs 98… We did the US trade deal where we have to buy $500 billion worth of trade goods from America and all this is to divert that… Who are these people to tell us about Vande Mataram?… If there are really such patriotic people, let Amit Shah and Mr Modi go to Nagpur and tell Mohan Bhagwat to drop the RSS song from henceforth and ensure that Vande Mataram is sung in all RSS branches… I challenge the entire BJP Cabinet to sing the entire National Song fully without the teleprompter… I will resign then only…”
The Vande Mataram controversy began around Independence Day, when Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge stopped the song midway during an event. Soon after, the BJP criticised the Congress, accusing its leaders of not singing the national song in its entirety.
