Bankim Chandra's descendant seeks Sonia Gandhi's apology over 'Vande Mataram' row
Sumitro Chatterjee, a BJP MLA and descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, has demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi regarding an alleged incident involving the national song 'Vande Mataram'. He claims the Congress party showed disrespect by attempting to stop the full singing of the song at their headquarters.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing political tensions in India regarding national symbols and the historical legacy of the freedom movement.
Sumitro Chatterjee, BJP MLA and a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay , has sought an unconditional apology from Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi over an alleged incident at the AICC headquarters on Independence Day, where he claimed there was discomfort and repeated attempts to stop the singing of the full version of "Vande Mataram".
In a letter to Ms. Gandhi, Mr. Chatterjee said the alleged incident on August 15, as the country celebrated its 80th Independence Day, was "not merely unfortunate but a shameless repetition of a historical mistake." Mr. Chatterjee, the BJP MLA from Naihati, said he was writing as an ordinary citizen, a patriot, and a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, expressing "deep pain, emptiness, and anger" over the episode.
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