What happened at the Congress headquarters
Independence Day celebrations were held at the Congress party’s headquarters in Delhi, with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi in attendance.
Song played in full, leaders react
During the programme, the national song Vande Mataram was played. According to the report, it was played in full. As the song continued, Sonia Gandhi was seen gesturing for it to be stopped.
Exchanges caught on camera
Kharge briefly looked on and then appeared to speak to Rahul Gandhi, who was standing a little away. Rahul then signalled to someone behind him, after which the person moved towards Kharge. In the intervening moments, Sonia was seen speaking seriously to Kharge while the song continued.
Video goes viral, criticism follows
These visuals were recorded and circulated on social media, leading to criticism that the Congress had disrespected the national song.
Party’s stated position cited
The report notes that the Congress has opposed singing the full song, citing concerns that it could hurt minority sentiments, and that only the first two stanzas are typically considered acceptable within the party. Party sources cited this as the reason for the leaders’ reactions when the full version was played.
