Kolkata, Aug 16 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday slammed senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, saying her “objection” to singing the full version of Vande Mataram was an “insult” to nationalism and the song’s writer, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
The BJP has accused the former Congress chief of objecting to the singing of the full version of Vande Mataram at an Independence Day event at the opposition party’s headquarters in the national capital.
However, the Congress denied the charge, asserting that there was no attempt to stop the singing of the full version of the national song and that Gandhi was only asking for a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge as he was standing for quite some time.
“I condemn Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s objection to Vande Mataram at party office. This is an insult to nationalism, patriotism and overall to the creator of Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,” Adhikari told reporters at the state secretariat here.
He accused the Congress of indulging in “high appeasement politics” to satisfy “one particular vote bank” and demanded that the party apologise over the issue.
“The entire Bengal is fuming. The Congress cannot hide anything; the entire country has seen how Sonia Gandhi was visibly furious when Vande Mataram was being played. Everything is on record,” Adhikari said.
He also pointed out that Parliament has brought in a law over the singing of Vande Mataram.
Last month, Parliament passed a bill that makes any insult to the national song a punishable offence. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by a voice vote in the Lok Sabha on July 30, a day after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The law grants status to Vande Mataram on par with the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. PTI SCH NSD
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