BJP's Unpatriotic Jab At Gandhis Over Vande Mataram Row, Congress Denies, Says 'No Attempt to Stop Full Rendition'

The BJP on Sunday alleged that opposing anything "patriotic" or something that "makes India strong, secure, and economically resilient" is the policy of Congress and its "Dimagi ecosystem". The party asked if anyone believing in the sovereignty and integrity of India would get "angry" over the invocation of Vande Mataram on Independence Day.

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 Saturday.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Pradeep Bhandari said that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, by opposing Vande Mataram, have reflected that they suffer from a "Dimagi Naxal" mindset. The term 'Dimagi Naxal' was first mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his recent Independence Day speech on Saturday.

In his address from the Red Fort on the country's 80th Independence Day, PM Modi said while the menace of armed Naxalism was nearing its end, there were people with a "Dimagi Naxal" mindset who were looking for opportunities to create violence and unrest and take the country in the wrong direction.

Further training guns at the Congress, BJP spokesperson said that the party is the political front of this ecosystem. He further added that this is why under Congress’s governance by this "Dimagi Naxal" and vote bank intellectual ecosystem, Vande Mataram is opposed, Article 370 is opposed, the elimination of Naxalism is opposed, jail for fringe forces like Sharjeel Imam is opposed, the elimination of terrorist Burhan Wani is opposed and called a poor headmaster's son, India's economic development is opposed, attacking Pakistan post-26/11 terror attack is opposed, and the Made in India vaccine during Covid is opposed.

"Can any patriot, can any Indian who believes in the Constitution of India, respects the Tricolour of India, respects India's freedom fighters and believes in India's sovereignty and integrity, ever get angry at the invocation of Vande Mataram on Independence Day?" he asked.

"The Congress has not only insulted the freedom fighters but also the Constitution of this country, its sovereignty and integrity, and the 140 crore people of this country," Bhandari said.

Bhandari alleged that Sonia Gandhi gestured to stop the singing of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters and later expressed her anger when it continued.

"If you look carefully at the video, when Vande Mataram is being invoked at the Congress Party headquarters, Sonia Gandhi indicates with her hand that they should stop. She gestures that Vande Mataram should be stopped at the Congress Party headquarters.

"When she is not listened to, she again gestures for the second time and says that it must be stopped."

Bhandari claimed Rahul Gandhi could be heard saying, "We don't need to sing Vande Mataram" after its rendition was completed and played a purported audio clip before the media.

The BJP spokesperson said Sonia and Rahul Gandhi should apologise within 24 hours to every patriotic Indian who is "deeply angry and enraged" by the Congress' conduct.

He demanded that the Congress publicly apologise within 24 hours for the "insult" to the national song if it has even an "iota" of patriotism.

Congress Denies BJP's Allegation, Says No Attempt To Stop Full Rendition

The Congress denied the allegation, asserting that there was no attempt to stop the singing of the full version of the national song and that Sonia Gandhi was only asking for a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge as he had been standing for some time.

With inputs from PTI