Did Sonia Gandhi Really Stop Vande Mataram? BJP-Congress Clash Over Viral Video

India marked its 80th Independence anniversary at Delhi’s Red Fort, where the Prime Minister addressed the nation and Vande Mataram was presented as the national song from the ramparts, reportedly for the first time since Independence.

The event coincided with the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.

The song soon became the centre of a political controversy following the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters.

The BJP alleged that Sonia Gandhi signalled for the song to be stopped midway.

Party leaders referred to a viral video and described the alleged incident as disrespect towards the national song.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders criticised the Congress and demanded an apology.

The BJP argued that the controversy went beyond one programme and questioned the Congress’s approach towards a song closely associated with India’s freedom struggle.

The Congress rejected the allegations and said Sonia Gandhi did not ask anyone to stop Vande Mataram.

According to the party, Sonia Gandhi asked someone to arrange a chair for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing for a considerable period.

The Congress cited the historical background of the song.

The party said it had never disrespected Vande Mataram and cited a 1937 Congress Working Committee decision to use its opening two stanzas at national programmes.

Historical Context

According to the Congress, the decision reflected sensitivities among some communities regarding religious references in the later portions of the song.

The party argued that the freedom movement required efforts to unite people from different religions and communities.

On August 19, 2026, the Congress Working Committee reiterated that its programmes would feature the first two stanzas.

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed Vande Mataram in 1875 and later included it in Anandamath. Rabindranath Tagore sang it at the 1896 Congress session.

During the 1905 Swadeshi movement, the song became a powerful symbol of resistance to British rule and helped inspire patriotic sentiment.

After Independence, Constituent Assembly President Dr Rajendra Prasad stated on January 24, 1950, that Vande Mataram should receive the same respect as the national anthem.

The Central government is now observing its 150th anniversary through nationwide programmes running from November 7, 2025, to November 7, 2026.

Both the BJP and Congress recognise the importance of Vande Mataram, but they interpret its legacy differently.

The BJP views it as a powerful symbol of nationalist unity, while the Congress maintains that the 1937 decision reflected the social and political circumstances of the period rather than opposition to the song.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticised the Congress’s 1937 decision during discussions surrounding the song’s 150th anniversary, adding another political dimension to the dispute.

The BJP is presenting the song as a central symbol of nationalism, while the Congress is defending its historical interpretation and insisting that its position does not amount to disrespect.

The controversy is unlikely to disappear quickly.

The BJP continues to connect the issue with nationalism and its criticism of Congress politics, while the Congress refers to the freedom movement, social harmony and its historical role.