BJP MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi over ‘Vande Matram’ row NEW DELHI: The row over the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day acquired a Bankim Chandra connection on, with BJP’s Naihati MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of the national song’s author, writing to Sonia Gandhi on Saturday and demanding an unconditional apology to the country, particularly West Bengal.The controversy erupted after a video from the Congress’s August 15 function showed Sonia gesturing and speaking to party president Mallikarjun Kharge while the full version of Vande Mataram was being sung. BJP leaders alleged she was trying to have the rendition stopped after the opening stanzas. Congress rejected the charge, saying Sonia was only asking that a chair be brought for Kharge, who had been standing for some time.In his letter in Hindi, Chatterjee said the episode had left him with “deep pain, emptiness and anguish”, alleging that Sonia’s “physical gestures” reflected “unease, impatience and repeated attempts to stop” the song. He said the reaction hurt him not only as a citizen but as a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesInvoking the song’s place in the freedom movement, Chatterjee referred to Sri Aurobindo, Khudiram Bose, Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and said generations of freedom fighters had rallied around Vande Mataram.“Vande Mataram is not the ancestral property of any political party. It is the collective memory of the nation, Bankim Chandra’s eternal legacy and a sacred national symbol sanctified by the blood and sacrifice of lakhs of martyrs,” he wrote.Chatterjee also pointed to the full six-stanza rendition in Lok Sabha on August 13, attended by leaders from both government and Opposition, and asked why there should be “hesitation and discomfort” over the same song at the Congress headquarters. He sought an “unconditional and public apology” from Sonia.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAir India Express Passenger Booked After Pistol Goes Off At Varanasi Airport During Security Check‘Derogatory’: PM Modi’s ‘Dimaagi Naxals’ Remark Triggers Row; Congress, CJP, Left Parties Hit BackActivist Devendra Mahto Stopped From Tiranga March As Jharkhand Student Protest Escalates On I-Day‘Came From The Top’: Mahua Moitra Alleges Late-Night Pressure, Seeks Speaker Om Birla’s InterventionDid Congress Leaders Signal Stop? 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NEW DELHI: The row over the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters on Independence Day acquired a Bankim Chandra connection on, with BJP’s Naihati MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a direct descendant of the national song’s author, writing to Sonia Gandhi on Saturday and demanding an unconditional apology to the country, particularly West Bengal.The controversy erupted after a video from the Congress’s August 15 function showed Sonia gesturing and speaking to party president Mallikarjun Kharge while the full version of Vande Mataram was being sung. BJP leaders alleged she was trying to have the rendition stopped after the opening stanzas. Congress rejected the charge, saying Sonia was only asking that a chair be brought for Kharge, who had been standing for some time.In his letter in Hindi, Chatterjee said the episode had left him with “deep pain, emptiness and anguish”, alleging that Sonia’s “physical gestures” reflected “unease, impatience and repeated attempts to stop” the song. He said the reaction hurt him not only as a citizen but as a direct descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
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Invoking the song’s place in the freedom movement, Chatterjee referred to Sri Aurobindo, Khudiram Bose, Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and said generations of freedom fighters had rallied around Vande Mataram.“Vande Mataram is not the ancestral property of any political party. It is the collective memory of the nation, Bankim Chandra’s eternal legacy and a sacred national symbol sanctified by the blood and sacrifice of lakhs of martyrs,” he wrote.Chatterjee also pointed to the full six-stanza rendition in Lok Sabha on August 13, attended by leaders from both government and Opposition, and asked why there should be “hesitation and discomfort” over the same song at the Congress headquarters. He sought an “unconditional and public apology” from Sonia.
