Rahul Gandhi’s new low: Disrespects Vande Mataram during a campaign rally.

Vande Mataram!

Penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s and used in his 1881 novel Anandamath, was composed into song by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The first two verses of the song were adopted as the National Song of India in the 1950s. Vande Mataram played a very important role in the freedom struggle ever since it was first sung in the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress by Rabindranath Tagore. It became a marching song for the Indian Freedom fighters and was banned by the Britishers. The first two verses of the song were adopted as the National Song while the later verses were dropped by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as they contained direct references to Hindu deities such as Maa Durga. The first cut to the song was done under a Congress leader and in one of the twisted ironies of history today, the current President of the Congress, Rahul Gandhi, decided to cut short the song while attending a rally in Karnataka.

A July 2017 verdict by the Madras High Court made it mandatory for schools and other educational institutions to play it at least once a week. It is till date used by political parties at rallies to rouse the feelings of nationalism in the hearts of the public. There is nothing wrong about the use of the National song in a rally or in daily life. The only point is that due respect must be given to the National song as it is a symbol of the struggle of our freedom fighters and their sacrifices, an ode to our motherland. This, probably, is too much to ask out of a leader like Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi, the Congress President, while attending a rally today in pre-election phase of Karnataka, decided that the song was a bit too long. Rahul felt that the Vande mataram song was a bit too long as it encroached on his busy schedule. He signalled the state party leaders to cut short Vande mataram to just one line, pointing to his watch, an indicator of the busy Rahul Gandhi’s tight schedule.

His rudeness and dislike to Vande Mataram didn’t just stop here as he remained seated while the girl choir started singing the first few lines. A state party leader from the Congress had to shake his arm to make Rahul Gandhi stand. All this done in an election rally before the polls at the time when Congress is finding it tough to survive, speaks volumes about the love he has for its national song and the nation itself.

Rahul Gandhi might have been really busy or tired and we understand that, but we cannot understand how he decided to cut short the national song. He could’ve cut short his speech by a minute in this rally or the next, or that of some other state leader’s if he was so busy. Vande mataram and its importance lost on the guy who claims to be the rightful heir of India.

Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed that he has indulged in such a dishonourable incident. The workers who support Rahul Gandhi and Congress should be ashamed to at the conduct of their Supreme Leader. When the national President of any party engages in such activities people will point fingers as to his allegiance with the nation. Subramanian Swamy and his remarks alleging Rahul Gandhi being a British National too come to the mind when such a situation arises. Is it really his British nationality which prompted Rahul Gandhi to show no respect towards the national song or was it a case of disregard. We will have to wait to find out from the Supreme Leader himself and we are sure he will not disappoint us.

His rallies and speeches have always been high on humour and we are waiting to find out what clarifications he gives on this poor conduct.