Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 17 : Members of the Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on Monday staged a protest in Hyderabad against top All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.
The BJYM alleged that the Congress leaders had insulted Vande Mataram during Independence Day celebrations at the national headquarters in Delhi. Raising slogans against the Congress, protesters demanded that the party leaders sing Vande Mataram.
During the demonstration, the BJYM burnt the effigy of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge.
The development follows the controversy that erupted after visuals from the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters showed senior party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking among themselves while 'Vande Mataram' was being recited.
The BJP leaders criticised their conduct, alleging that it amounted to disrespect towards the National Song.
Earlier, the BJP Yuva Morcha workers organised a torchlight march on Sunday in Lucknow.
The march began at the VVIP Guest House and proceeded toward the Congress state office, with a large number of Yuva Morcha workers taking part, carrying torches and raising slogans on the way.
However, before the march could reach the Congress state office, police set up barricades to stop the protesters from proceeding further. With their path blocked, the workers halted at the spot and collectively sang 'Vande Mataram'.
On Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) lodged complaints against Congress leaders, alleging disrespect to the national song 'Vande Mataram' during a programme at the Congress headquarters in Delhi on Independence Day.
Also, a BJYM delegation in Bengaluru approached the Malleswaram Police Station and submitted a complaint seeking registration of a case and legal action against the three Congress leaders for allegedly hurting national sentiments.
In its complaint, the BJYM alleged that Sonia Gandhi deliberately sought to stop the playing of Vande Mataram during the flag-hoisting programme at the Congress office in Delhi on August 15. The complainants said they were watching a televised broadcast of the programme on Sunday evening when they noticed the alleged incident.
However, the Congress has rejected the allegation and maintained that Sonia Gandhi's actions had nothing to do with opposing the National Song, claiming she was only seeking to ensure that the arrangements for its rendition were carried out properly.