Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the Congress party of shamelessness for allegedly trying to halt the singing of Vande Mataram during its Independence Day event. He said the action would not be forgiven by the public. Speaking at a gathering in Chittorgarh, Shah claimed that Sonia Gandhi instructed the party president to stop the national song while it was being performed at Congress headquarters. He noted that many watched the incident on television. Shah said 140 crore people had seen the event and that no one should consider leaving the song incomplete. He demanded an apology to the nation and to the song’s author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. The controversy began after footage showed senior Congress leaders talking during the recitation. BJP figures said the conduct showed disrespect. The Congress rejected the claims, stating that Gandhi was only ensuring proper arrangements for the performance. Shah connected the episode to the party’s vote-bank politics and recalled sacrifices made during the freedom struggle for singing the song.
