BJP using Vande Mataram row to fuel divisive politics, alleges Renuka Chowdhury

Senior Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Wednesday accused the BJP of using the controversy surrounding Vande Mataram to deepen communal divisions and distract attention from pressing public concerns.

In an interview with IANS, the former Union minister said allegations that Sonia Gandhi attempted to stop the full rendition of the national song at the Congress headquarters were baseless. She questioned whether anyone had heard Gandhi make such a request and accused the BJP of drawing conclusions from gestures.

Chowdhury said the controversy was being used to shift attention away from issues affecting young people, including their employment prospects and alleged irregularities in examinations such as NEET.

Responding to BJP MP Kangana Ranaut’s remarks questioning the Congress’s patriotism, Chowdhury alleged that the BJP and RSS were attempting to position themselves as the sole custodians of nationalism. She claimed that the BJP was appropriating Vande Mataram to advance a divisive political agenda.

Chowdhury also criticised Union minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for invoking Sonia Gandhi’s Italian origins while commenting on the controversy. She said questioning Gandhi’s loyalty because of her origins reflected the discrimination often faced by women after marriage.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to people with a “dimagi Naxal” mindset during his Independence Day address, the Congress leader said such language was inappropriate for a speech delivered from the Red Fort. She accused the Prime Minister of using the occasion to attack fellow citizens instead of promoting national unity.

Referring to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s repeated criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru and the Gandhi family, Chowdhury claimed that party leaders were making such statements to attract the leadership’s attention ahead of a possible Cabinet reshuffle. She maintained that these attacks would strengthen rather than weaken the Congress.

Asked whether Rahul Gandhi could become prime minister after the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, Chowdhury said he had never personally made such a claim and that the country would ultimately decide. She praised his nationwide political campaigns and said his statements should be taken seriously.

Chowdhury further alleged that the BJP was using institutions such as the Election Commission and the Enforcement Directorate to intimidate opposition parties and encourage defections.

She declined to comment extensively on the BJP’s organisational reshuffle, describing it as the party’s internal matter. However, she welcomed Smriti Irani’s return to an organisational role, calling her talented and expressing satisfaction that a woman had regained a position in the party.

On the Jharkhand government’s response to protests over alleged recruitment examination irregularities, Chowdhury praised Chief Minister Hemant Soren and said the developments demonstrated the strength of democratic protest.

She also dismissed attempts to portray comments by US President Donald Trump on India’s electoral system as a major endorsement. Pointing to Washington’s tariff measures, Chowdhury argued that India should not seek validation from foreign leaders and said Western countries also had lessons to learn from the country’s democratic history.

With IANS inputs