Vande Mataram row: ‘Even if jailed or hanged, we will sing only two stanzas’, says Karnataka Cong chief Hariprasad

New Delhi/Bengaluru, Aug 18 (IANS) “Even if they (Union government) send us (Congress workers) to jail or hang us, we will sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram,” Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B.K. Hariprasad said on Tuesday, strongly defending the Congress’ position amid allegations that the former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had stopped the national song from being sung during an Independence Day event.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Hariprasad dismissed the allegations as part of a “conspiracy and cunning scheme” by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and said that Sonia Gandhi had only objected to the manner in which Vande Mataram was being sung.

“Sonia Gandhi pointed out that Vande Mataram was being sung incorrectly and insisted that it should be sung properly. At the same time, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge is 84-years-old and has problems with his legs and cannot stand for a long time. She asked for a chair for him,” he said.

He questioned the BJP and RSS over their criticism of the incident and challenged them to explain how often they sing Vande Mataram and the national anthem after singing the RSS prayer “Namaste Sada Vatsale”.

“They (RSS) were anti-nationals when the freedom struggle was going on. We need not learn from them about whether to sing a particular song or not,” Hariprasad said.

Responding to questions about a purported video in which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is allegedly heard saying that the party would not sing Vande Mataram, the KPCC President added that he had not heard the remarks.

However, he made the Congress’ position clear, saying, “As a Congress party worker and State party President, I want to clearly convey that we will sing only two stanzas. Let them (BJP) put us in jail or hang us; let them do whatever they want.”

Hariprasad said the country’s freedom fighters had made sacrifices that gave the nation its freedom, national anthem and Vande Mataram.

He said slogans such as “Azad Hind Zindabad”, “Vande Mataram” and “Inquilab Zindabad” were part of the freedom struggle and questioned whether the BJP and RSS had adopted even one of those slogans.

“We need not learn from those who joined hands with the British and worked against the freedom movement,” he added.

Asked about his visit to Delhi, Hariprasad said the Congress high command had appointed observers for every district to spend time with local party workers and submit reports on strengthening the organisation.

“All of them have submitted their reports. I have been called to Delhi to discuss these reports,” he added.

On the killing of three alleged poachers in the Hanur forest encounter, Hariprasad said a magisterial inquiry had already been ordered.

“This incident should not have happened, but it has happened. A magisterial inquiry has already been ordered. After the inquiry, we will see the outcome and take further action,” he added.

–IANS

mka/khz