New Delhi [India], August 15 (ANI): YSRCP MP Golla Babu Rao on Saturday said he could not comment on the controversy over the recitation of "Vande Mataram" at the Congress headquarters, saying senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were "very legendary figures" and it was their choice how they reacted to the episode.
Reacting to questions on the controversy, Babu Rao said, "I don't know exactly... they are very legendary figures, very senior politicians. It is their choice. I cannot say from my side. I have left everything to Sonia Gandhi and a very senior politician like Mallikarjun Kharge. I don't know what happened."
Viswa Hindu Parishad spokesperson Vinod Bansal also condemned the Congress leadership over the controversy, alleging that a party which claims to be the country's oldest could not tolerate the singing of "Vande Mataram" at its own headquarters.
"India's 80th Independence Day was being celebrated in the national capital, specifically at the headquarters of the party that claims to be the country's oldest and which held power for the longest period...Unfortunately, a party of such magnitude could not even tolerate the singing of Vande Mataram," Bansal said.
"The way these three individuals have insulted Vande Mataram at their headquarters today certainly warrants condemnation," he added.
Congress MP Manoj Kumar, meanwhile, defended the party leadership and said the decision to recite only two lines of "Vande Mataram" was based on what the country's "mahapurush" had decided.
"Our 'mahapurush' (great leaders of the country) had decided to recite two lines from Vande Mataram. Sonia Gandhi tried to tell us about it today. We too did not know about it. But I thank our leader who told us about it. After this, we will follow what our great leaders have said," Manoj Kumar told ANI.
Rejecting the BJP's allegation that the Congress had insulted "Vande Mataram", the Congress MP said the party had recently recited the full version of the song in Parliament.
"BJP is alleging that we had insulted Vande Mataram. Did we not sing the full version of Vande Mataram in Parliament recently? Our leader wanted to stop us, but we completed it. We did not stop midway. This is unnecessary. BJP is trying to divert attention from the main issue," he said.
The remarks came amid a political row after the BJP leader Amit Malviya accused Congress leadership of attempting to stop the rendition of the full 'Vande Mataram' at the party headquarters during Independence Day celebrations today.
In a post on X, Malviya claimed that Sonia Gandhi allegedly got "agitated" after the initial stanzas of the national song were sung at the event and asked for the rendition to be stopped, and Rahul Gandhi also signalled the end of the song. However, they were informed that it would continue, and the full rendition of Vande Mataram was subsequently sung at the event.
"For the first time, the entire 'Vande Mataram' was sung at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day. After the initial stanzas of Vande Mataram were sung, Sonia Gandhi became agitated and asked for the rendition to be stopped rather than played in full. Rahul Gandhi too appeared to signal that it should end. They were told to let it continue. The message was clear: the complete National Song is now to be respected under the new legal framework, and intentional obstruction or disturbance can invite serious consequences. They eventually fell in line, and Vande Mataram was sung in full," said Malviya.
Condemning the action, Malviya alleged that the Gandhis have shared an uneasy relationship with the idea of a culturally confident and civilizationally rooted India.
"For decades, the Gandhis and the Congress have displayed an uneasy relationship with the idea of a culturally confident, civilisationally rooted India. That discomfort stood exposed, ironically, on Independence Day. Vande Mataram," added Malviya.
However, the Congress asserted that Sonia Gandhi's actions had nothing to do with the national song played at the venue. The party maintained that she was merely trying to ensure that the correct arrangements for Vande Mataram were sung properly in the event.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney criticised the absence of the Leaders of Opposition in both Houses of Parliament from the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.
"Unfortunately, the LoPs in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were absent for the second consecutive year," Sahney said, adding that they were perhaps citing an issue related to seating protocol.
He said that had he been in their place, he would have gone down and sat wherever there was space, stressing that seating arrangements should not become an obstacle to attending a national event on Independence Day.
"When it comes to patriotism, especially on Independence Day, seating arrangements should not be an obstacle. That should not be a limiting factor for not attending the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, which is a national event," he said.
Sahney also referred to the Opposition's claims that there had been no discussion in Parliament on the events at Jantar Mantar, saying Home Minister Amit Shah was ready to discuss the issue.
He said that discussions should not have been restricted to Jantar Mantar and should also have covered developments in Jharkhand and Punjab.
"Discussions should take place regarding the events at Jantar Mantar, as well as those in Jharkhand and Punjab," Sahney said.
He also criticised what he described as the Opposition's "abrasive behaviour" over seating arrangements, disruption of Parliament proceedings and a "selective approach" to issues, linking these with the controversy over "Vande Mataram".
"The three recent incidents- refusing to attend the Red Fort event, the abrasive behaviour regarding seating arrangements, and the obstruction of Parliament proceedings alongside a selective approach to issues, coupled with the visible discomfort over 'Vande Mataram' and attempts to halt its recitation- are highly deplorable," Sahney said.
"I strongly condemn these actions and pray to God that good sense prevails," he added. (ANI)
"It is their choice": YSRCP MP Golla Babu Rao on Congress leaders' alleged "disrespect" to Vande Mataram
