Shah Demands Congress Apology Over Vande Mataram Controversy

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, August 16, accused the Congress party of "shamelessness," alleging that party leader Sonia Gandhi attempted to stop the singing of the national song Vande Mataram midway during the Congress headquarters' Independence Day programme. Speaking at a public meeting in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, Shah demanded an apology from the Congress to the people of India and to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the author of Vande Mataram.

The controversy stems from visuals from the Independence Day event on August 15 at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi. Footage showed senior party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking among themselves during the rendition of Vande Mataram. BJP leaders, including Amit Malviya, claimed the visuals showed Sonia Gandhi becoming agitated after the initial stanzas and asking for the song to be stopped, with Rahul Gandhi also signaling for it to end. Malviya stated that for the first time, the entire Vande Mataram was sung at the event, but alleged that an attempt was made to halt it prematurely.

Addressing the gathering, Shah referenced the video and said, "Look at their...