Jaipur, Aug 16: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the Congress of insulting the national song Vande Mataram and demanded that the party apologise to the people and the legacy of its author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Addressing a public meeting in Chittorgarh, Shah alleged that during the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters, party leader Sonia Gandhi asked for Vande Mataram to be stopped midway.
Shah accused the Congress of having forgotten the national song due to “vote-bank politics” and said thousands of freedom fighters had faced bullets, lathis and imprisonment for singing Vande Mataram during the freedom struggle.
Referring to Saturday’s Independence Day celebrations, Shah said the song was sung at the Red Fort and at other venues across the country where the national flag was hoisted.
“We all saw it on television,” Shah said, alleging that Gandhi had asked the party president to stop the song midway. He demanded that she apologise to the people and to the memory of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Speaking at the Atal Gaurav Smriti Samaroh organised on the death anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shah also highlighted Vajpayee’s contributions to the country.
He credited Vajpayee with taking major decisions, including making India a nuclear power despite international pressure following the Pokhran tests. He also cited the expansion of rural roads and national highways and the creation of a separate ministry for tribal development during Vajpayee’s tenure.
Shah said the progress in tribal welfare was reflected in the election of Droupadi Murmu, who rose from a tribal background to become President of India. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had continued to prioritise the welfare of tribal communities.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, who also addressed the gathering, said the country’s borders had become safer under Shah’s leadership and Rajasthan was benefiting from the Centre’s policies.
Sharma also credited the Modi government with progress in the state and praised Shah’s role in tackling Left-wing extremism and implementing new criminal laws.
