'Congress policy to oppose anything patriotic': BJP on Vande Mataram 'insult'
The BJP has accused Congress leaders of disrespecting the national song 'Vande Mataram' during an Independence Day event. The Congress party denied the allegations, stating the incident was a misunderstanding regarding seating arrangements for their party chief.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing political polarization in India, where nationalistic symbols are frequently used as flashpoints for partisan conflict.
The BJP on Sunday (August 16, 2026) alleged that opposing anything patriotic is the Congress' policy and asked if anyone believing in the sovereignty and integrity of India would get "angry" over the invocation of Vande Mataram on Independence Day.
The ruling party demanded that the Congress publicly apologise within 24 hours for the "insult" to the national song if it has even an "iota" of patriotism.
The remarks came in the wake of the BJP's allegations that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge showed "utter disrespect" towards Vande Mataram when it was sung at the party's Independence Day event on Friday (August 14).
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