A complaint has been submitted to the Delhi Police against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, alleging that they attempted to disrupt the singing of Vande Mataram during an Independence Day event at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
The complainants have asked police to examine whether the alleged conduct attracts provisions of the proposed Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to extend legal protection currently applicable to the National Anthem to the National Song.
Police have acknowledged receiving the complaint and said the matter is being examined.
What does the complaint allege?
Advocates Kunal Vinayak and Shubh Sharma, who filed the complaint, alleged that Sonia Gandhi made gestures and communicated with people around her during the rendition in a manner that indicated an objection to continuing with the song.
The complaint also refers to purported video footage in which Rahul Gandhi is alleged to have said:
“We are not singing Vande Mataram.”
The complainants have asked authorities to investigate the exact nature, intention and purpose of the alleged gestures and remarks rather than treating them as established violations.
The Congress has rejected the allegation and maintained that there was no attempt to stop the singing of the complete version of Vande Mataram.
Why did the Vande Mataram controversy begin?
The dispute centres on the later stanzas of Vande Mataram, which contain Hindu religious imagery.
Sonia Gandhi was seen making gestures during the rendition, prompting BJP leaders to accuse the Congress leadership of disrespecting the National Song.
Congress leaders, however, have argued that the party's objections relate to the religious imagery in the later portions and have denied attempting to prevent the song from being performed.
The BJP has demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi, intensifying the political dispute around the Independence Day event.
What does the proposed new law say?
The complaint invokes the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
According to the complaint, the proposed amendment would extend penal protection available to the National Anthem to the National Song.
It cites a proposed amendment to Section 3 that would provide for imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both for anyone who intentionally:
- prevents the singing of the National Anthem or National Song; or
- causes disturbance to an assembly engaged in singing either.
The complaint also cites a 2018 Supreme Court judgment concerning the existing statutory provision dealing with intentional prevention of the National Anthem's singing or disturbance of an assembly engaged in it.
However, whether the provision cited by the complainants is legally applicable to this particular incident will depend on the status and wording of the legislation and the findings of any investigation.
More complaints filed against Congress leaders
The Delhi complaint is not the only legal complaint arising from the controversy.
Another complaint was filed in Odisha by the BJP's youth wing. BJP Yuva Morcha state president Abhilash Panda accused the Congress leaders of disrespecting and obstructing Vande Mataram.
A separate complaint was also filed in Bengaluru, where Yuva Morcha members staged a protest near the BJP state headquarters.
Karnataka Yuva Morcha state president and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and said protests would continue over the issue.
What happens next?
For now, the Delhi Police has only confirmed that the complaint has been received and is being examined.
The key legal question will be whether the alleged gestures or remarks amount to intentional prevention or disturbance of the rendition and whether the specific law cited by the complainants applies to the incident.
The allegations remain allegations unless established through an investigation or subsequent legal proceedings.
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