Amit Shah demands apology from Sonia Gandhi over Vande Mataram row

Union home minister Amit Shah accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of showing 'utter disrespect' to the national song Vande Mataram during an Independence Day programme at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Speaking at a public meeting in Chittorgarh on Sunday, Shah alleged that Gandhi asked party president Mallikarjun Kharge to stop the song midway. He demanded an apology from her to the people and to the author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, The Federal reports.

The controversy erupted after visuals showed senior Congress leaders speaking among themselves while Vande Mataram was being recited. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said the party revealed its 'true face', while Delhi minister Kapil Mishra accused the leaders of deliberate disrespect, according to Rediff. BJP leaders also lodged a formal complaint against Sonia Gandhi at the Urwa police station in Karnataka.

Congress dismissed the allegations as a 'pack of lies'. Spokesperson Udit Raj said Gandhi was gesturing for a chair for Kharge, who cannot stand for long periods due to ill health, and not to stop the song. He accused the BJP of creating a fake controversy to divert attention from important issues, NDTV reports.