BJP Complains Against Sonia Gandhi Over Vande Mataram Row In Karnataka

The political dispute over Vande Mataram has taken a legal turn in Karnataka, with BJP leaders filing a complaint against senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at the Urva police station in Mangaluru.

The complaint relates to an incident at a Congress event on Independence Day and seeks action against Gandhi over what the BJP described as inappropriate conduct connected with the recitation of the national song. BJP leaders Vikas K and Rajgopal alleged that the episode hurt sentiments associated with Vande Mataram and urged the police to initiate legal proceedings.

The police, however, have not registered an FIR so far. Officials said legal advice has been sought before deciding on the next step. The BJP leaders have argued that an FIR can be registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The controversy comes shortly after Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which makes insulting the national song a punishable offence. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha through a voice vote on July 30, a day after it cleared the Rajya Sabha. It also gives Vande Mataram a status on par with the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

The BJP had on Saturday accused Gandhi of objecting to the singing of the complete version of Vande Mataram during its Independence Day programme.

The Congress rejected the allegation, saying there was no attempt to stop the full rendition of the national song. According to the party, Gandhi was only asking for a chair for Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing for some time.

With the police now examining the legal aspects of the complaint, the dispute has added another flashpoint to the ongoing BJP-Congress political confrontation over Vande Mataram.