Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy Sparks Controversy Over Sonia Gandhi's Origin Amid Vande Mataram Row
2 sources · India
Who reported this
- The Indian Express
- Hindustan Times
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
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Every source for this story reports from India.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has faced criticism after repeatedly questioning the Indian identity of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, referring to her Italian origin and stating that Italian blood flows in her veins. Speaking to reporters in Karnataka on Monday and Tuesday, Kumaraswamy claimed that Gandhi is against Indian sentiment because she was born in Italy and only came to India after marriage. These remarks follow a dispute over whether Sonia Gandhi attempted to stop the full version of the national song, Vande Mataram, from being sung during a Congress Independence Day event on August 15.
The controversy began when BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and BL Santhosh, accused the Congress leadership of disrespecting the song. Amit Shah stated that the Congress forgot Vande Mataram due to vote bank greed and demanded that Sonia Gandhi apologize to the people and the song's author, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. The Congress has denied these allegations, asserting that Sonia Gandhi was simply trying to arrange a chair for party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Congress leaders have condemned Kumaraswamy's comments. MLA A S Ponnanna described the remarks as unbecoming of a Union Minister and a reflection of a patriarchal mindset. Karnataka Minister Rizwan Arshad called Kumaraswamy a frustrated man and argued that Sonia Gandhi is more Indian than many Indians, citing the sacrifice of her husband, Rajiv Gandhi. Kumaraswamy responded by questioning what Sonia Gandhi herself has sacrificed for the nation.
How each side framed it
- Centre
- The center lean outlet focused on the personal nature of the attacks and the specific reactions regarding the minister's patriarchal mindset.
- Centre-right
- The center-right lean outlet provided more context regarding the legal status of Vande Mataram and emphasized the BJP's accusations of the Congress undermining the freedom movement.
Sources
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