Democracy, Parliament Hold No Value for Gandhi Family: Ravneet Bittu Over Vande Mataram Row

August 16, 2026

Chandigarh: Former Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the Gandhi family over the controversy surrounding the rendition of Vande Mataram during Independence Day celebrations.

The remarks came after visuals from the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Congress headquarters showed Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge speaking and gesturing midway through the national song.

The BJP has accused Congress leaders of attempting to interrupt or stop the complete rendition of Vande Mataram, triggering a fresh political confrontation between the ruling party and the Opposition.

Speaking to IANS, Bittu alleged that the Gandhi family does not attach importance to democratic institutions or Parliament.

He claimed that Sonia Gandhi objected to the song because it was a national issue rather than the Congress agenda and alleged that “people, Parliament, and democracy hold no value” for the Gandhi family.

Congress Rejects Allegations

The controversy comes shortly after Parliament passed legislation providing statutory protection to Vande Mataram and making deliberate obstruction or disruption of its singing a punishable offence.

Bittu cited Parliament’s approval of the legislation while criticising the reported reaction of Sonia Gandhi during the rendition at the Congress headquarters.

However, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh rejected the allegations and clarified that there had been “no attempt” by the party to stop the national song from being played or prevent its complete rendition.

Bittu Targets Chidambaram Over ‘Dimagi Naxal’ Remark

Bittu also criticised senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram over his reported remark that he was “proud to be a dimagi Naxalite”.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on “dimagi Naxalism”, Bittu alleged that Maoist violence was at its peak when Chidambaram was Union Home Minister.

He claimed that the Congress had backed Maoists at that time and cited violence in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Backing Modi’s remarks, Bittu said that although armed Maoism had ended, the Congress still possessed what he described as a “mindset” associated with it.