"When I First Became MLA, Amit Shah Was A Child": Mallikarjun Kharge Jabs Minister

Mallikarjun Kharge did not mince words and in a sharp takedown reminded Home Minister Amit Shah, who criticised the Congress over alleged insult to Vande Mataram, that the latter was a child when he first became an MLA.

"Amit Shah speaks against our Madam Sonia Gandhi, he speaks against the Gandhi family. When I first became an MLA, Amit Shah was a child, and today he's teaching us patriotism," Kharge, the 84-year-old Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said at a public rally in Goa on Monday.

जब मैं पहली बार MLA बना था, तब अमित शाह बच्चे थे और आज हमें देशभक्ति सिखा रहे हैं।

BJP और इनके पुरखों ने कभी आजादी की लड़ाई नहीं लड़ी, इसलिए ये लोग कांग्रेस के लोगों को देशभक्ति न सिखाएं।

असल में- 'Anti-India' और 'Anti-religion' तो BJP है, क्योंकि जब मैंने उत्तराखंड में भाषण… pic.twitter.com/8mijeDBy6r

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 17, 2026

The criticism follows 61-year-old Amit Shah's allegation that during the Independence Day programme at the Congress headquarters, Sonia Gandhi asked Vande Mataram to be stopped midway through the song.

Defending itself, the Congress maintained that Sonia Gandhi had been asking for a chair for M Kharge, adding that the full version of the Vande Mataram was sung. The Congress also cited history to argue that Rabindranath Tagore had suggested that only the first few stanzas of Vande Mataram be sung.

Sonia Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge during the 80th Independence Day celebrations at AICC headquarters

Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and later incorporated into his novel Anandamath, Vande Mataram became one of the most powerful symbols of India's freedom movement. The song's later verses, however, became controversial because of their religious imagery. After the 1937 provincial elections, the Congress adopted the first two stanzas for public use, following concerns about the acceptability of the complete composition among different religious communities in the country. The disagreement over the song continues to reflect a larger political divide.

In a historic first, the National Song Vande Mataram was played in full during the 80th Independence Day celebrations led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the historic Red Fort on Saturday. The year 2026 marks 150 years of Vande Mataram. 

The full version of 'Vande Mataram' was recently accorded the same legal protection as the National Anthem. 

"Our people fought for the country's independence. You fought too? Tell me, which BJP person fought for this country's independence? Which RSS person fought for this country's independence? And you lecture us about patriotism?" Kharge charged.

Kharge alleged that the BJP had no moral authority to question the patriotism of Congress leaders.

"We aren't patriots, we are anti-India, you say. You (BJP) are the ones who are anti-India and anti-religion. The reason is that when a man like me delivers a speech in Uttarakhand before hundreds of thousands of people, you perform a havan two days later to 'purify' the place. Is it not a shame on this country," Kharge, who is a Dalit, said referencing the 'purification' at the Ramlila Ground in Haldwani in Uttarakhand earlier this month.

The crowd roared back "shame, shame". 

Two days after Kharge's Uttarakhand speech, a right wing group, 'Shri Ram Sena', on August 10 performed a 'shuddhikaran' (purification) havan at the rally venue.

The Shri Ram Sena performed a purification havan at M Kharge's rally venue in Uttarakhand

Minister JP Nadda, defending the party in the Rajya Sabha, said that the incident was unfortunate, and clarified that BJP members were not involved. He also assured that an inquiry would be conducted.

"Does your religion teach this? Do your people teach this? Do your gurus teach you to do this? Purify yourselves, after all, you are the biggest sinners; you are the ones who need purification first," Kharge said. 

Religion should not be reduced to such acts, he said, questioning the BJP over its "selective interpretation of religious values".

"I am a representative of the people. And as a representative of the people, I will keep travelling, I will keep speaking, I will keep fighting, and I will keep exposing and defeating these people," Kharge said.