Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday, 16 September issued a sharp public challenge to opposition leaders in Kalaburagi, daring Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka and BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra to sing the full national song Vande Mataram without the aid of a teleprompter. The remarks marked a fresh escalation in the ongoing political confrontation between the ruling Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka over the Vande Mataram controversy.

The Challenge and the Jibe

Speaking at a public address in Kalaburagi, Kharge said: “We know only two stanzas. BJP MLAs have left the platform claiming that it is an insult. I am preparing a platform for R. Ashoka and B.Y. Vijayendra. Let them sing Vande Mataram without a teleprompter.” He followed up with a pointed remark, noting that BJP leaders had presumably been memorising the song since the controversy broke. “Since yesterday, BJP leaders must have been memorising it. At least let them sing after practising,” he said.

Kharge went further, claiming that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah did not know how to sing Vande Mataram in full — allegations the BJP has not yet publicly responded to.

KPSC Scam Row: Kharge Fires Back at Kumaraswamy

The Home Minister also addressed the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment irregularities controversy, hitting back at Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy, who had raised allegations against him. Kharge said Kumaraswamy’s position had shifted noticeably. “Kumaraswamy first stated that Priyank Kharge is involved in the KPSC scam, later he is claiming that I should take moral responsibility,” he said.

Kharge further questioned why BJP leaders were avoiding naming suspended KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, who was reportedly appointed during a previous BJP government in the state. “Why are BJP leaders not taking the name of suspended KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar? Why won’t BJP leaders discuss anything about him?” he asked. The Congress government has declared its readiness to discuss the KPSC scam in the special Assembly session and has challenged the BJP to participate.

Special Assembly Session and Disruptions

Kharge also addressed the proposed special session of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, stating that the government had convened it specifically to deliberate on issues affecting the people of the state. He blamed the opposition for derailing the regular Monsoon Session. “We have called a special Assembly session to discuss the issues of the people. The Monsoon Session was completely disrupted by the Opposition parties,” he said.

Political Context

The Vande Mataram row in Karnataka has its roots in a recent incident in which BJP MLAs reportedly walked off a platform, alleging that the national song was being treated as an insult. The Congress has used the episode to turn the tables on the BJP, a party that frequently invokes nationalist symbolism. This is the latest instance in a pattern of rhetorical one-upmanship between the two parties in the state, with the KPSC scam and the Assembly session providing additional flashpoints. How both parties navigate the special session is expected to set the tone for Karnataka’s political climate in the coming weeks.