Vande Mataram row: Complaint seeks FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi under new law

The complaint cites Sonia Gandhi's gestures and Rahul Gandhi's remarks, seeking a probe into whether their conduct amounted to intentional disruption of Vande Mataram's rendition.

In Short

• 3rd complaint filed against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi over Vande Mataram row
• Alleged Sonia Gandhi objected rendition of National Song
• BJP demands Sonia Gandhi apologise to nation, Congress counters

A complaint has been filed with the Delhi Police against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, seeking registration of an FIR over an alleged attempt to disrupt the singing of Vande Mataram during Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters.

The complaint seeks an FIR after the police ascertain the applicability and legal status of the Vande Mataram Act and conduct a fair, impartial and time-bound probe into the alleged conduct of the two Congress leaders.

A controversy erupted after Sonia Gandhi was seen making gestures as the singers proceeded to the stanzas that the Congress has opposed. Party leaders have argued that the later stanzas, which contain Hindu religious imagery, could be objectionable to members of other faiths.

The BJP launched a sharp attack on the Congress leadership, demanding that Sonia Gandhi apologise to the nation. The Congress, however, denied the allegation and said there was no attempt to stop the singing of the full version of the national song.

Filed by advocates Kunal Vinayak and Shubh Sharma, the complaint alleges that Sonia Gandhi, who was present at the Independence Day function at AICC headquarters at Indira Bhawan, appeared to make gestures and communicate with people present in a manner that indicated an objection to the continuation of the rendition of Vande Mataram.

The complaint also refers to purported video footage in which Rahul Gandhi is alleged to have said, "We are not singing Vande Mataram", during the rendition of the National Song.

According to the complaint, the exact nature, intention and purpose behind the alleged gestures and conduct of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi require investigation by the competent authority.

The complainants have invoked the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, stating that it seeks to extend the penal protection available to the National Anthem to the National Song.

It states that the proposed amended Section 3 provides for imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine, or both, against a person who intentionally prevents the singing of the National Anthem or National Song, or causes disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing.

The complaint also cites a 2018 Supreme Court judgment concerning the statutory provision relating to intentional prevention of the singing of the National Anthem or causing disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing.

The Delhi Police acknowledged receiving the complaint and said the matter was being enquired into.

Two other complaints have also been filed against Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders over the incident.

One was filed in Odisha by the BJP's youth wing. BJP Yuva Morcha state president Abhilash Panda said, "They have committed a punishable offence by disrespecting and obstructing Vande Mataram."

Another complaint was filed in Bengaluru, where the Yuva Morcha also staged a protest near the BJP state headquarters over the issue.

Yuva Morcha state president and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju demanded that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi apologise to the people of the country for allegedly showing disrespect to Vande Mataram and warned that the protest would continue until they did so.

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