Gujarat Congress Divided Over MLA’s Vande Mataram Row
· India · Indian Express, Times of India
Congress MLA Imran Khedawala sparked controversy in Gujarat’s Assembly by sitting down during the rendition of the first two stanzas of *Vande Mataram* on September 10, while other Congress MLAs remained standing. The BJP accused Khedawala of violating protocol and demanded action from Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, citing the recent parliamentary bill that granted statutory protection to all six stanzas of the song. Congress leaders, including Tushar Chaudhary, dismissed the incident as personal and denied any party stance on the matter. A BJP delegation, including ministers Rushikesh Patel and Jitu Vaghani, met the Speaker to demand disciplinary action against Khedawala, emphasizing the need for uniformity in protocol adherence during national song renditions.
Why it matters
The row reflects deeper political divisions within Gujarat’s Congress party and highlights tensions over nationalistic symbols, potentially impacting party unity ahead of upcoming elections. It also underscores the BJP’s strategy to assert control over symbolic gestures in state assemblies, reinforcing its dominance in Gujarat’s political discourse.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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