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'Debate on Vande Mataram or Nehru?': Mallikarjun Kharge hits back at JP Nadda amid chaos in Rajya Sabha
Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also the national President of the Congress, interrupted while JP Nadda was speaking on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.
Leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday hit back at BJP President JP Nadda, asking if the debate in the House was about Vande Mataram or former PM Jawaharlal Nehru.
Kharge, who is also the national President of the Congress, interrupted while Nadda was speaking on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, the national song, and was attacking Nehru for undermining the song.
“I want to know if this debate is over Vande Mataram or Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Whatever is being said here is distorted and not the truth,” Kharge was quoted by PTI as saying.
The question became a to-and-fro between the two leaders as Nadda said that Congress has “always compromised with India’s culture”.
“I am discussing Vande Mataram only. If the things relating to Jawaharlal Nehru do not sound good to them, what can I do? The problem is that right from the beginning, you people have always compromised with India’s culture, traditions and its ethos… Durga, Saraswati, Bharat Mata and Shakti are for all the people in this country, and all have faith in them,” the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha said.
The remarks led to an uproar in the Rajya Sabha, and Chairperson Vice President CP Radhakrishnan had to intervene to calm the situation.
‘Don’t want to tarnish Jawaharlal Nehru’s image’
Concluding the debate on Vande Mataram in the Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda asserted that the government does not want to tarnish the image of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and that its only intention was to set the historical record straight.
"Vande Mataram did not receive the due respect that it deserved... those in power at that time (government) were responsible for that situation," he said.
Nadda, who is also the Leader of the House, said Congress has always been opportunistic and cites the Nehruvian age to take credit when the situation suits the party.
However, Congress does not take responsibility when the situation is adverse and seeks to put the blame on others, he alleged.
Nadda also mentioned that the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, does not have any provision for a penalty if one disrespects or does not sing the national song Vande Mataram.
