PANAJI: Congress on Monday sang two stanzas of Vande Mataram at a meeting of booth-level agents and workers attended by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, amid BJP criticism over the party’s alleged disrespect to the national song.Seva Dal members led the rendition at the Verna meeting, with the gathering standing at attention and raising Vande Mataram slogans repeatedly.BJP has criticised the conduct of Sonia Gandhi, Kharge and Rahul Gandhi during the song’s rendition at Congress Independence Day programme in New Delhi on Aug 15. Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said their conduct deserved condemnation, while former BJP MP Narendra Sawaikar filed a complaint at Ponda police station seeking an FIR over the alleged disruption and disrespect to the national song.The Union home ministry has directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, including the four dropped during Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure, be sung at official and govt-sponsored functions.Kharge hit back at BJP over its patriotism claims. “Which BJP person has fought for freedom and independence? Have any RSS members fought for this nation? And they want to teach us patriotism? They say that we are against the country. That we are anti-India. They are the ones who are anti-India,” he said.“I want to tell the members, ‘arre bhai’, become one, then the people will be one. You should have unity. If we work hard and if we are united, then we will be able to defeat the defectors and get double the seats,” said Kharge. Kharge’s message of unity comes at a time when the party finds itself grappling with division within its ranks over Girish Chodankar’s return as the state party president. Several party workers are rallying behind former state Congress president Amit Patkar. Patkar was present for Kharge’s meeting.Kharge said Goa’s environment and forests need to be protected. Targeting the Sawant-led govt, he said that BJP is “high on drugs” and said Congress would stop the drug trade if it forms the next state govt.“We will make sure local youth get jobs, we will protect the land. We will tackle inflation, protect Goa’s natural resources, ensure protection of women, stop drug trade and sale of the land,” said Kharge.
