A complaint has been lodged with Delhi Police against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, requesting an FIR for allegedly trying to interrupt the singing of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters during Independence Day events. The filing calls for police to first check the Vande Mataram Act’s status before launching a fair and timely inquiry into the leaders’ actions. The issue arose when Sonia Gandhi was observed making gestures as performers reached stanzas opposed by the Congress, which views some later verses as potentially offensive due to religious references. The BJP criticized the Congress leadership and urged an apology, while the Congress rejected claims of interference and insisted the full song was performed without disruption. Filed by lawyers Kunal Vinayak and Shubh Sharma, the complaint points to video evidence suggesting Rahul Gandhi remarked that the group was not singing Vande Mataram. It invokes the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends protections to the national song with penalties of up to three years in prison or fines. Delhi Police confirmed receipt of the complaint and stated an inquiry is underway. Separate complaints were also submitted in Odisha and Bengaluru by BJP youth wing members, who staged protests and demanded apologies from the Congress leaders.
