# Alleged Disrespect to Vande Mataram: Complaint Filed Against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge

> A police complaint was lodged in Mumbai seeking an FIR against top Congress leaders over alleged interruption during the singing of Vande Mataram on Independence Day.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Politics · **Published:** 2026-08-18 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/politics/svatntrata-divasa-karyakrama-men-vnde-mataram-ka-kathita-anadara-sonia-gandhi-rahul-gandhi-aura-kharge-ke-khilapha-pulisa-men-shik-17906 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Vande Mataram, Congress, BJP, Dindoshi Police

A formal police complaint has been lodged against prominent Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, following allegations of deliberate interference during the recitation of the national song, Vande Mataram. The complaint was submitted at the Dindoshi police station in Mumbai by Akhilesh Chaubey, a secretary for the Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who requested an immediate investigation and the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the named politicians.

## Allegations Central to the Independence Day Event
The incident in question reportedly took place on August 15, 2026, during the official Independence Day celebrations hosted at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi. The event was attended by top Congress figures, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Sonia Gandhi, and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, alongside numerous party workers and guests.

According to the detailed complaint filed by Chaubey, a video recording of the event that subsequently circulated on social media and digital platforms captures stage proceedings while the national song Vande Mataram was being sung. The complainant alleges that Sonia Gandhi was seen conversing with nearby leaders and making physical hand gestures shortly after the rendition commenced, appearing to signal that the music should be concluded prematurely. The complaint further asserts that Rahul Gandhi engaged in similar non-verbal gestures while the collective singing was still actively underway.

## Statutory Provisions and the 2026 Legislative Amendment
In grounding the legal complaint, Chaubey cited provisions from the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, pointing specifically to a statutory amendment enacted in 2026. According to the complaint, this legislative update expanded the legal protections under the Act to explicitly include the national song Vande Mataram, granting it statutory parity with the National Anthem regarding matters of public honour and protection against intentional disrespect.

Section 3 of the amended legislation mandates strict penalties for anyone who intentionally prevents the singing of the National Anthem or National Song, or causes disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing. Violations under this provision carry a potential sentence of imprisonment for a term extending up to three years, a monetary fine, or a combination of both statutory punishments.

## Requests for Digital Evidence Preservation and Police Probe
The complainant has urged the Dindoshi police authorities to immediately impound and secure all official video feeds, broadcast tapes, and digital audio-visual records associated with the event. The petition stresses that a meticulous and impartial inquiry is required to examine the precise context of the gestures depicted in the video and to determine whether there was any willful intention to halt or disrupt the ceremonial song.

While the complainant has demanded the swift registration of an FIR under relevant criminal provisions, law enforcement officials noted that standard procedures require a preliminary verification of the submitted evidence and clips before any formal criminal case can be registered against the individuals named in the complaint.

## What this means for you
**Across India:** Heightens public and political awareness regarding statutory regulations and protocols surrounding national symbols and songs at official events.

**In Maharashtra:** Could trigger heightened political rhetoric and localized party demonstrations following the filing of the police complaint in Mumbai.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who filed the police complaint against the Congress leaders?
Akhilesh Chaubey, a secretary for the Maharashtra unit of the BJP, lodged the complaint at the Dindoshi police station in Mumbai.

### 2. What are the primary allegations against the Congress leaders?
The complaint alleges that leaders made non-verbal gestures interrupting and seeking to halt the singing of Vande Mataram during an Independence Day event.

### 3. Which law has been cited in the legal complaint?
The complaint relies on Section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, citing its 2026 amendment.

### 4. What punishment does the cited statutory provision carry?
Conviction under Section 3 carries a maximum prison term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

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