Congress MLA Imran Khedawala courted controversy when he sat down after the rendition of the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram on the first day of the monsoon session of the Gujarat Assembly on Wednesday, even as the remaining Congress MLAs present remained standing till the national song was over.
The Congress has just 12 MLAs in the 182-member House. Neither Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Chavda nor working president Jignesh Mevani was present when the national song was sung.
Taking strong objection to Khedawala’s act, a delegation of the ruling BJP met Speaker Shankar Chaudhary and demanded action against him as per the rules.
The Congress Working Committee had on August 19 passed a resolution reiterating its 1937 stand to sing only the first two stanzas of the song at party and national events. Last year, to mark the celebration of the 150th year of the composition of the song, the parliament passed a bill giving statutory protection to Vande Mataram on par with Jana Gana Mana, the national anthem.
The BJP has passed a resolution to sing all six stanzas of the song at national events.
When asked about the Congress’s stand in the entire episode, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Tushar Chaudhary said, “It was his (Khedawala’s) personal stance to sit down. You should ask him why he sat down. There is no question of the party’s stand on it. We were standing in the first row and do not have any idea of what happened in the back.”
Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP MLAs that included cabinet ministers Rushikesh Patel and Jitu Vaghani met Speaker Chaudhary to seek ‘appropriate action’ against Khedawala.
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Speaking with The Indian Express, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rushikesh Patel said, “Our team told the Speaker that Vande Matraram is sung in the Assembly ever since it was formed. The issue is that singing all stanzas of the song is compulsory now…Every elected member of the assembly should sing it. Today, [the tradition] has been violated. Imranbhai did not stand up. This incident happened in the House. So, appropriate action should be taken.”
“Secondly, he (Khedawala) sits in the House as a Congress party MLA. Therefore, we demand that the Congress issue an explanation on the issue. Do you (Congress) agree with him or not? The issue is not an apology. It is about standing with discipline during the rendition as per protocol. That protocol has been violated by him. So, whatever applicable legal action is required to be taken should be taken against him. The Speaker told us that he will study the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs and see what can be done,” he added.
Addressing media persons, Vaghani said the entire Congress party had insulted the Vande Mataram.
On his part, Khedawala, the only Muslim MLA in the House, said, “I stood during the rendition of the song that was sung by leaders like Gandhiji, Sardar Patel, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad, Rabindranath Tagore. I sat down during the rendition of the newly added stanzas of the song. I sang the song that we have been singing for the past 70 years.”
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“I follow the ideology of the Congress. Our Vande Mataram is the one that was there in 1937… The Constitution has given me the right to choose what to do. There cannot be a compulsion. I sat down. And it was my personal stand… I am concerned with the Congress party’s ideology and not the ideology of the RSS and the BJP… I am not going to apologise for this even if they oust me from the Assembly. I have done nothing wrong. I will always sing the Vande Mataram that was sung by Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, but will not sing the parts added later by the BJP,” he added.
When pointed out that the BJP was seeking the Congress’s stand on the issue since Khedawala is an MLA of the party, CLP leader Chaudhary said, “The issue has happened in the Assembly. If it is raised in the Assembly, we will give our reply there.”
Meanwhile, spokesperson of Gujarat BJP Anil Patel termed Khedawala’s act in the Assembly as condemnable, serious and illegal and added that Congress would get a befitting reply by the people of the country.
Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region.
Expertise & Authority
Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues:
Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani.
Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters.
Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis:
State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys.
Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read More
