Amit Shah seeks Congress apology over Vande Mataram allegation at Delhi headquarters

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has demanded that the Congress apologise over his allegation that Sonia Gandhi asked for *Vande Mataram* to be stopped midway at the party’s Delhi headquarters during an Independence Day event.

Speaking at a public gathering in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, Shah said the Congress leadership had shown disrespect to the national song. He said Gandhi had asked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to stop the song while it was being sung, and called on the party to apologise.

The Congress rejected the allegation. Its spokesperson Udit Raj said Gandhi’s gesture concerned the management of the programme and a chair for Kharge, who he said was not in good health and could not stand for long periods. Raj described the charge as false and said the BJP was creating a controversy to divert attention from other issues.

The exchange centres on the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. Neither side’s account was independently established in the material available.