Kollam (Keralam) [India], August 16 : Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal asserted that his party respects the 'Vande Mataram' and accused the BJP of using the national song and the freedom struggle as political weapons.
Elaborating on the controversy at the AICC headquarters on Independence Day, Venugopal said the incident was a communication issue and maintained that Congress has respect for Vande Mataram.
Speaking to reporters, Venugopal said, "For the BJP, everything is political. For us, it is emotional. What happened at the AICC headquarters was a communication issue. We are people who respect Vande Mataram. The Congress has a clear stand on Vande Mataram, and you will understand it in due course."
On the reorganisation of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), Venugopal said the process would be undertaken at the appropriate time.
Venugopal also confirmed that KPCC president Sunny Joseph had expressed his willingness to step down. On the reorganisation of the party board, he said the Congress was seriously considering the matter.
"It will happen when the time comes. Sunny Joseph had expressed his willingness to step down," he said.
Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders lodged a formal complaint against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at the Urwa Police Station in Karnataka, following a controversy during the recitation of the national song Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi on Independence Day.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also criticised the Congress leadership, alleging that the opposition party harbours deep discomfort and disrespect toward the national song, 'Vande Mataram'.
Targeting Sonia Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, he said their visible discomfort during the event revealed their true position.
"Yesterday, the Congress revealed its true face to the country and the world. They harbour such hatred for 'Vande Mataram'. You saw how uncomfortable Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge became yesterday the moment the full version of 'Vande Mataram' was played. When they saw it had been recorded on camera, they tried to give explanations," said the BJP leader.
The controversy erupted after visuals from the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters showed senior party leaders speaking among themselves while Vande Mataram was being recited. BJP leaders have criticised their conduct, alleging that it amounted to disrespect towards the National Song.