Mallikarjun Kharge accuses BJP of misleading house on Vande Mataram, defending Nehru
New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday accused BJP leaders of misleading the Rajya Sabha over facts related to Vande Mataram. He asserted that the Congress requires no lessons from the ruling party on nationalism, patriotism, or the national song.
Kharge alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have repeatedly disrespected former Congress leaders, including India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Participating in a Rajya Sabha discussion on Vande Mataram, Kharge said the Prime Minister had “misled the House” regarding past correspondence between Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose. He added that leaders who did not sing Vande Mataram during the freedom struggle are “now singing the national song”.
Kharge said BJP’s allegations against Congress leaders are “far from the truth” and demanded an apology. He argued that the country is facing serious issues, declining rupee value, unemployment and economic stress, which should be prioritised instead of unnecessary controversies.
He criticised attempts to “divert attention” by targeting Nehru, stating that such attacks disrespect not only Nehru but also national icons such as Rabindranath Tagore and Bose, as well as freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives.
Kharge claimed he has been singing Vande Mataram for 60 years and highlighted that the Congress has a long tradition of singing the national song at party conventions, making it an anthem of the freedom struggle. He noted that the Congress Working Committee, including Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose and Madan Mohan Malviya, had decided to recite only the first two verses.
The Congress chief also accused non-Congress parties of failing to participate in the freedom struggle and said some had even “disrespected the Constitution” by burning copies alongside effigies of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
He reiterated that Congress has always respected Vande Mataram, recalling that a special postage stamp was released during Indira Gandhi’s tenure to mark the song’s 100th anniversary.
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Young man from Bantwal dies in road accident in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: A 34-year-old man from Dakshina Kannada’s Bantwal taluk died in a road accident near Kudlu gate in the city on Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as Muhammad Haris (34), a resident of Allipade near Ajilamogaru in Bantwal taluk.
Harris worked as a mechanic at a private AC company in Bengaluru and got married six months ago.
The incident reportedly occurred when Haris was riding a bike to work along with a colleague, when a goods vehicle allegedly rammed the bike from behind.
Haris reportedly succumbed to his injuries at the stop. His colleague, an Odisha native who was riding pillion, sustained serious injuries and has been admitted to the hospital.
Haris’ body is at the mortuary of St. John’s Hospital, Koramangala, and will be sent to his hometown after the postmortem.
HSR layout traffic police have registered a case.
