'Congress Went To Jail Chanting Vande Mataram - What Did You Do?' Mallikarjun Kharge Fires Back At Amit Shah

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge fired back at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Vande Mataram debate in Rajya Sabha. He said that the prime minister and the home minister do not leave a chance to“insult” Jawaharlal Nehru.

Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the ideological predecessors of the BJP were“working for the Britishers” when Congress leaders were being jailed during the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1921, while chanting 'Vande Mataram'.

Mallikarjun Kharge said,“PM Modi leaves no chance to insult Jawaharlal Nehru, and Home Minister Amit Shah follows the same. When Mahatma Gandhi started the non-cooperation movement in 1921, lakhs of freedom fighters from the Congress went to jail chanting 'Vande Mataram'. What were you doing? You were working for the Britishers.”

The Congress chief stated that his party played a crucial role in popularising the 'Vande Mataram', a slogan during the freedom struggle.

“Congress did the work of making 'Vande Mataram' a slogan during the freedom struggle...Your history is that you were always against the freedom struggle and patriotic songs,” Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Earlier in the day, Amit Shah slammed Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who had accused the ruling party of initiating the Vande Mataram debate to coincide with the West Bengal Assembly elections.

Priyanka Gandhi said,“Today, the people of the country are unhappy, distressed, and surrounded by problems, and you are not solving them,” she said.

“We are having this debate here today for two reasons. Firstly, the Bengal elections are approaching, and our Prime Minister wants to play his role in them. And the second reason is...that the government wants an opportunity to level new accusations against those who fought for freedom.”

To this, Amit Shah said the Congress MP was“diminishing” the importance of the national song.“Some people want to diminish the importance of 'Vande Mataram'by trying to link it to Bengal elections. I think they need to reconsider their understanding.”

“Vande Mataram is an immortal creation that evokes a sense of duty and dedication towards Mother India. Discussion of Vande Mataram in both Houses will help future generations understand its true importance, glory,” the home minister said.

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