Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the Congress party on Sunday regarding the controversy that arose from the rendition of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Congress headquarters during the Independence Day celebrations on Saturday. Shah’s remarks highlight ongoing tensions between the ruling party and the opposition, particularly surrounding issues of national identity and patriotism.
The controversy began after visuals from the Congress headquarters’ Independence Day programme on Saturday showed senior party leaders interacting while Vande Mataram was being recited. Referring to visuals from the Congress headquarters, Shah alleged that senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had asked the party president to stop the song while it was being sung. Shah alleged that during the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters, party leader Sonia Gandhi asked Vande Mataram to be stopped midway through the song.
Earlier reporting noted: The Home Minister alleged that the Congress had forgotten Vande Mataram due to vote-bank politics. Earlier reporting noted: Congress should apologise for insulting Vande Mataram on Independence Day: Amit Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (August 16, 2026) accused the Congress of insulting the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ and demanded that the party apologise to the people and to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay who wrote the song.
He also questioned how anyone could consider leaving Vande Mataram incomplete and said the Congress should be ashamed of the incident. He said this was the first time the entire version of Vande Mataram had been sung at the Congress headquarters during an Independence Day programme. Gandhi was only attempting to ensure that the arrangements for the rendition of Vande Mataram were properly coordinated at the event, according to the Congress.
Earlier reporting noted: Addressing a public meeting in Chittorgarh, Mr.
Accusing the Congress of forgetting the song because of “vote bank politics”, Shah said the national song should be accorded respect across the country. He further said that if the Congress had “even a shred of shame left”, its leaders should fold their hands and apologise to the immortal soul of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as well as to the people of India.
