Sang same 'Vande Mataram' as national leaders: Kharge hits back at BJP over 'incomplete' charge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday responded to the BJP’s criticism over his rendition of an “incomplete” ‘Vande Mataram’, saying he sang the version followed by national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.Talking to reporters in South Goa, Kharge said if singing the version he did…
Key points
- Speaking over the controversy, Kharge said, "I sang the 'Vande Mataram' which Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru sang…the same song which…
- The Congress president said he had followed the version of 'Vande Mataram' that had been sung for decades.
- Talking to reporters in South Goa, Kharge said if singing the version he did was a crime, cases should additionally…
- Kharge said the BJP was unaware of the historical decisions taken by the Congress on the national song and the…
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday responded to the BJP’s criticism over his rendition of an “incomplete” ‘Vande Mataram’, saying he sang the version followed by national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Talking to reporters in South Goa, Kharge said if singing the version he did was a crime, cases should additionally be filed against the leaders who had sung it the same way.
The ruling BJP has alleged that the Congress chief sang an “incomplete” version of the national song during his public meeting in South Goa on Monday, and accused the grand old party of disrespecting the national song.
Speaking over the controversy, Kharge said, “I sang the ‘Vande Mataram’ which Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru sang…the same song which Vallabhbhai Patel and Atal Bihari Vajpayee sang. If that is the crime, then file a case against Gandhiji, Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel.”
What happened
Kharge said the BJP was unaware of the historical decisions taken by the Congress on the national song and the national anthem.
“They don’t know that before they were born, the Congress had passed the resolution to decide about the national song and the national anthem,” he said.
The Congress president said he had followed the version of ‘Vande Mataram’ that had been sung for decades.
“I did what has been happening for the last 80 years,” Kharge said.
The details
(With inputs from PTI)
