'Brazen Repetition of Historical Mistake': Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay Descendant Writes To Sonia Gandhi Over Vande Mataram

Kolkata: BJP MLA and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's descendant, Sumitro Chatterjee, has written to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi expressing his anguish over the Vande Mataram recitation controversy.

In his letter on Saturday, Sumitro Chatterjee described the attempted interruption of the full rendition of Vande Mataram as a "shameless repetition of a historical mistake," declaring that repeated attempts to stop Congress workers from singing the full version deeply distressed him as a noted poet descendant.

"Today, on August 15, 2026, on this auspicious morning of India's 80th anniversary of independence, when all countrymen are dedicated to paying homage to Mother India, what transpired at the All India Congress Committee headquarters is not only unfortunate but also a brazen repetition of a historical mistake. The discomfort, displeasure, and repeated attempts to stop Congress workers as they sang the full version of Yugrishi Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's immortal work, "Vande Mataram," deeply distressed me. As an ordinary Indian citizen, a patriot, and above all, a direct descendant of the sage Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's family, I am writing this letter with deep pain, emptiness, and anguish," said Chatterjee.

The BJP MLA declared that the Congress's alleged double standards are nothing new. Referring to the 1937 Muslim League session where Muhammad Ali Jinnah termed Vande Mataram anti-Muslim due to its alleged idolatrous imagery, which allegedly led the Congress party to sing only the first two nature-praising stanzas at official gatherings, Chatterjee asserted that the shadow of that compromise remains visible in the party's ideology and behaviour today.

"A look back at history reveals that your so-called double standards are nothing new. History bears witness that in October 1937, you, too, bowed to the unreasonable objections of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and shattered this timeless hymn. The shadow of that compromise is still visible in your ideology, and your behaviour has once again become clear today," added Chatterjee.

The BJP MLA further declared that the attempted interruption of the Vande Mataram incident has deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of West Bengal, demanding an unconditional apology from her to the citizens of India, particularly the people of West Bengal.

"Today's unfortunate incident has deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of West Bengal-I consider it my moral duty to inform you of this. As a descendant of the family of the sage Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, I urge you in humble but firm terms to introspect and unconditionally apologize to all my countrymen, especially the people of West Bengal, for your behavior. History forgives no one. A leadership that fails to respect its own freedom mantra is consigned to oblivion," asserted Chatterjee.

Earlier, BJP leader Amit Malviya accused the Congress leadership of attempting to stop the rendition of the full 'Vande Mataram' at the party headquarters during yesterday's Independence Day celebrations.

In a post on X, Malviya claimed that Sonia Gandhi allegedly got "agitated" after the initial stanzas of the national song were sung at the event and asked for the rendition to be stopped, and Rahul Gandhi also signalled the end of the song. However, they were informed that it would continue, and the full rendition of Vande Mataram was subsequently sung at the event.

Condemning the action, Malviya alleged that the Gandhis have shared an uneasy relationship with the idea of a culturally confident and civilizationally rooted India.

Following the incident, the BJP MLA described Sonia Gandhi's action as shameful, calling the act an insult to the nation.

"Her actions were truly shameful. It is an insult to the country. An insult to all of India and to the Bengali community... My entire family was hurt... It seems to me that Sonia Gandhi has not forgotten her Italian culture, despite living in India for so long... I sent an email directly to Sonia Gandhi and tagged Mallikarjun Kharge on it. Let's see if they understand the issue... No, I did not email the President of India, nor did I email any other officials. I emailed the person responsible and sent a copy to the head of her party..." Chatterjee told ANI.