PANAJI
A fresh political controversy over the recitation of Vande Mataram is likely to erupt in Goa after the Congress, during its booth-level convention addressed by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday, sang only one stanza of the national song instead of rendering the complete song.
The national song was performed by women representatives of the Congress Seva Dal during the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee’s BLA and booth-level convention. However, only one stanza was sung, with the complete rendition of Vande Mataram not being played or recited at the programme.
The development comes close on the heels of a political controversy in New Delhi over the Congress’s Independence Day programme, where a video appeared to show party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi making gestures that were interpreted as asking party workers to stop the rendition of Vande Mataram.
The issue had already triggered criticism from the BJP, which questioned the Congress’s approach towards the national song during its Independence Day programme. Goa BJP unit has already demanded an apology from Kharge and Gandhi. The Goa incident is likely to provide fresh ammunition to the BJP, particularly as Monday’s programme was attended by Kharge himself. The Congress had organised the convention as part of its preparations ahead of the 2027 Goa Assembly elections, with booth-level agents and workers attending the meeting. The controversy comes at a time when Vande Mataram has emerged as a politically sensitive issue, with the BJP repeatedly accusing the Congress of disrespecting the national song and the opposition party maintaining that such issues are being politically exploited.
