New Delhi [India], August 18 (ANI): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Tuesday defended his party's decision to sing only the initial two stanzas of Vande Mataram during the event in Goa, challenging critics to an open debate on the matter while accusing opponents of historical opposition to national symbols.
Speaking to ANI, Khera highlighted the party's internal consensus, targeting critics over past stances regarding national emblems and the Constitution.
"Why should anyone have any problem with us singing what was decided by our party? In the past, they had opposed Jana Gana Mana, Vande Mataram, Tiranga, and the Constitution. Let them come forward and debate on Vande Mataram," Khera said.
The Congress leader further hit back at the ruling party over the term 'Dimaagi Naxal', stating that individuals who refuse to blindly follow the leadership are wearing the phrase as a badge of honour.
"PM Modi has come up with something called 'Dimaagi Naxal', which has boomeranged on him. He thought it was an abuse; we think of it as a badge of honour. According to him, anyone who thinks is a 'Dimaagi Naxal'. So all the 'Andh Bhakts' are out of this category. The people who are not his blind followers are 'Dimaagi Naxals'. We are proud to be 'Dimaagi Naxals," Congress MP Pawan Khera said.
"I feel bad for Kiren Rijiju, who has to clean up the mess created by the PM. The PM should realise that it is time for him to retire," Khera added.
The political row stems from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. During his speech, PM Modi stated that while armed Naxalism in rural forests had been largely dismantled, a new challenge, "dimaagi Naxals" (ideological Naxals), had entrenched themselves within institutions, policy-making spaces, and public ecosystems to subvert national progress.
Meanwhile, members of the Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha (BJYM) had yesterday staged a protest in Hyderabad against top All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.
The BJYM alleged that the Congress leaders had insulted Vande Mataram during Independence Day celebrations at the national headquarters in Delhi. Raising slogans against the Congress, protesters demanded that the party leaders sing Vande Mataram.
During the demonstration, the BJYM burnt the effigy of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge.
Earlier, the Delhi Police initiated an enquiry into a complaint seeking registration of an FIR against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the alleged disruption during the rendition of Vande Mataram at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters on Independence Day.
The complaint was filed in connection with the Congress' Independence Day programme held at its headquarters in New Delhi on August 15.
According to the complaint, Sonia Gandhi allegedly made gestures and communicated with people present during the rendition in a manner that the complainant interpreted as an objection to the continuation of the national song. It further alleges that Rahul Gandhi was heard saying, "We are not singing Vande Mataram."
The allegations are part of the complaint and have not been established by the police.
The Delhi Police is currently probing the complaint to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the alleged disruption. The complaint was filed on August 16, a day after the Independence Day event at the AICC headquarters. (ANI)
"Let them come forward": Congress leader Pawan Khera defends Goa event Vande Mataram rendition, challenges critics to debate
