- The BJP alleges that the Congress disrespected the national song Vande Mataram.
- On August 16, 2026, the Congress rebuts the Union Home Minister's charge, asserting respect for the song and accusing the BJP of trying to manufacture a political controversy.
- Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh attacks the Home Minister, accusing him of diverting attention from more pressing issues.
- The BJP lodged a formal complaint at the Urwa Police Station in Karnataka and also filed a police complaint in New Delhi.
- The controversy has acquired added significance following recent changes to the legal framework governing the National Song. In July, Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2026, which makes attempts to stop or prevent the singing or playing of Vande Mataram an offence.
- The legislation also accords the national song a status on par with the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
The Congress party has strongly rebutted Union Home Minister Amit Shah's claims that it disrespected the national song Vande Mataram, asserting its commitment to the song is beyond doubt. Shah demanded an apology, alleging that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi interrupted the song during a recent event.167
In response, Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal dismissed the allegations as a misunderstanding, stating, “For the BJP, everything is political. For us, it is emotional.” He emphasized that the party respects Vande Mataram and that the controversy arose from a communication issue.
Congress General Secretary for communications, Jairam Ramesh, criticized Shah for attempting to divert attention from pressing issues, stating on social media, “A man who insulted Dr. Ambedkar... is now demanding an apology from the Congress to divert attention away from the real issues of the day.”
The BJP has intensified the issue by filing police complaints against Gandhi in both Karnataka and Delhi, following a recent amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, which elevates the status of Vande Mataram to that of the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.8
This controversy highlights the ongoing political tensions between the BJP and Congress, with both parties leveraging national symbols for political gain.
“Jairam Ramesh accused the Home Minister of insulting Dr. Ambedkar and orchestrating Delhi Police brutalities, while Parliament's July amendment made stopping Vande Mataram an offence, elevating it to national anthem status.”
