Kochi: Congress is in soup after videos of Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge allegedly disrespecting the National Song during its rendition at Congress office on Independence Day went viral.The videos showed fuming at playing of the national anthem despite she and Kharge allegedly showing their displeasure at the rendition of Vande Mataram despite both of them making gestures to stop it.Playing of six stanzas of Vande Mataram at the AICC headquarters irritated Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge who were signalling to stop it midway.The BJP accused Sonia of trying to stop it, while the Congress denied the charge.Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was seen having discussion with Seva Dal activists and Kharge.“… is utterly bizarre, ironic, and unfortunate. We condemn this conduct of the Congress party’s top leadership and expect the Congress party to apologise to the nation for it,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said in a post on social media platform X.Congress’s communications chief Jairam Ramesh said Sonia had been asking for a chair for Kharge. “As the Congress president was standing for a long time, Sonia ji was asking for a chair for him,” Mr. Ramesh claimed. “But today, at Indira Bhawan, the full version [of the Vande Mataram] was sung. There is no question of a controversy over it,” he added.The Congress had opposed the Bill that added criminal provisions to an alleged insult while singing Vande Mataram, he added. Photo: X
Congress in soup on National Song
