Panaji, Aug 17 (PTI) Amid a row over an Independence Day video featuring Sonia Gandhi and other leaders, the BJP in Goa on Monday accused the opposition party of disrespecting Vande Mataram and demanded an apology.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Goa BJP spokesperson Daji Krishna Salkar alleged that the Congress had curtailed the singing of Vande Mataram in 1937 on the grounds that it was not secular.
“The way they split Vande Mataram in 1937, they partitioned the country in 1947,” Salkar said, adding that the BJP had started the practice of singing the complete version of the national song.
Referring to a video featuring Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi at the AICC headquarters on Independence Day, he alleged that the actions of Congress leaders showed they were opposed to Vande Mataram.
“The Congress should admit that they don’t like singing Vande Mataram,” Salkar added.
He also alleged that people had witnessed Sonia Gandhi trying to stop the singing of Vande Mataram and claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said that Vande Mataram was not the national anthem.
“The Congress has been completely exposed over their hatred towards Vande Mataram. They should tender an apology,” he said. PTI RPS NSK
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