‘Couldn’t even pronounce it’: Priyank Kharge mocks BJP over full Vande Mataram recital

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday took a swipe at BJP legislators after they recited the full version of Vande Mataram in the state legislature, claiming they struggled to correctly pronounce words in the later stanzas and reiterating his charge that the controversy was being driven by politics.

The confrontation unfolded at the start of proceedings in both the Legislative Assembly and Council, where the officially played rendition of the national song ended after the first two stanzas in accordance with the Karnataka government’s September 8 order.

BJP legislators objected and continued reciting the remaining portions themselves, while raising slogans against the Congress government over its decision to restrict the rendition to the first two stanzas at most state programmes.

‘They don’t know it fully’

Responding to the BJP’s recital, Kharge said the episode had demonstrated his earlier contention that the party’s leaders did not know the complete song as well as they claimed.

“They tried to recite the full Vande Mataram. This is what I have also said, they don’t know the song fully,” Kharge told reporters.

He said he had previously challenged BJP leaders to recite the later stanzas without referring to a sheet of paper, mobile phone or teleprompter.

“They claim that they know the song in full by heart, but you saw them today, they were unable to pronounce those words,” he said.

Kharge argued that the later portions could be difficult for people in Karnataka to pronounce because they contain Bengali words. He said the first two stanzas were familiar because people had learnt them from childhood.

BJP protests in Houses

The three-day special session of the Karnataka legislature began on Monday, with the Assembly proceedings opening with Vande Mataram.

After the official recording stopped following the first two stanzas, BJP MLAs began reciting the remaining portions and raised slogans against the government.

A similar scene unfolded in the Legislative Council, where BJP members continued with the later stanzas even as Chairman Saleem Ahmed proceeded with the customary reading of the Preamble to the Constitution.

The BJP has accused the Congress government of truncating the national song and has demanded that the complete version be rendered at official functions.

The Congress government, however, has defended its September 8 order, under which the first two stanzas are to be sung at state government programmes except those attended by the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister or Governor.

Kharge revives challenge

Kharge had last week challenged Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka to publicly recite the full version without referring to a paper, phone or teleprompter.

He had even offered to resign if the two leaders successfully completed the challenge.

On Monday, Kharge said the BJP legislators’ performance had vindicated his argument. He also questioned why the party was raising the issue now despite having previously been in power in Karnataka and continuing to govern at the Centre.

Kharge described the controversy as “political” and accused the BJP of attempting to turn the national song into a partisan issue.

The BJP, for its part, has maintained that the full version should be rendered and has strongly opposed the Karnataka government’s two-stanza order.

Order faces court challenge

The controversy has also reached the Karnataka High Court, where a public interest litigation has challenged the state government’s September 8 order.

The petition questions the state’s authority to prescribe a restricted rendition of Vande Mataram and cites the Centre’s guidelines concerning the national song.

The political dispute has intensified during the 150th anniversary commemorations of Vande Mataram, with the Congress and BJP differing over its official rendition and the historical decisions governing the song.

With BJP legislators using the opening day of the special session to press their demand and Kharge responding with his earlier pronunciation challenge, the dispute is now set to continue both inside and outside the legislature.