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Assam's Political Firestorm: Congress Leader Sings Bangladesh Anthem at Rally

A viral video showing a senior Congress leader singing Bangladesh's national anthem has sparked a major political storm in Assam. The state government has ordered an immediate probe into the incident that occurred during a Congress meeting. Congress leaders are defending the action as merely singing Rabindranath Tagore's composition, while BJP leaders accuse them of showing affinity toward Bangladesh. This controversy highlights the ongoing linguistic and cultural tensions in Assam's political landscape.

Key Points: Assam Orders Probe After Congress Leader Sings Bangladesh Anthem

  • 85-year-old Congress poet Vidhu Bhushan Das sang lines from Bangladesh anthem at party meeting
  • Fishery Minister ordered district administration to verify the viral video incident
  • Congress defends action as cultural tribute to Rabindranath Tagore's composition
  • BJP accuses Congress of appeasing Bangladeshi infiltrators for vote bank politics
2 min read

Assam govt orders probe after Congress leader 'sings' Bangladesh anthem at party meet

Assam government investigates viral video showing Congress leader Vidhu Bhushan Das singing Bangladesh's national anthem at party meeting, sparking major political controversy.

"The Congress gave birth to Pakistan, and Bangladesh was part of that country. Singing its national anthem shows their love for the neighbouring nation. - Minister Krishnendu Paul"

Guwahati, Oct 29

The Assam government on Wednesday has ordered a probe after a video purportedly showing a senior Congress leader singing Bangladesh’s national anthem, Amar Sonar Bangla, during a party meeting in Sribhumi district went viral, triggering a political controversy in the state.

According to reports, the incident occurred on October 27 during a Congress Seva Dal meeting at Indira Bhavan, the party’s district office in Sribhumi. In the video, 85-year-old Congress leader and poet Vidhu Bhushan Das is seen rendering a few lines from Amar Sonar Bangla, a song penned by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who also wrote India’s national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

Following the video’s circulation, Assam Fishery Minister Krishnendu Paul directed the district administration to verify the incident. “We have received oral instructions from the minister to conduct an inquiry and confirm the facts,” a senior district official said. Minister Paul alleged that the incident reflected the Congress party’s “affinity for Bangladesh,” remarking, “The Congress gave birth to Pakistan, and Bangladesh was part of that country. Singing its national anthem shows their love for the neighbouring nation.” He added that legal action would be taken if the allegations were substantiated.

Reacting to the controversy, Sribhumi District Congress president Tapas Purkayastha dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. “Don’t play politics with Rabindranath Tagore. Our respected senior leader only sang two lines of a Tagore composition. Calling it anti-national is an insult to Tagore himself,” he said.

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi also defended the leader, accusing the BJP of attempting to divert public attention through manufactured controversies. He said, “The song reflects Bengali cultural pride. The BJP has consistently disrespected the Bengali language and culture.”

The BJP, on the other hand, slammed the Congress for “appeasing Bangladeshi infiltrators” and indulging in “vote-bank politics.” The controversy has once again highlighted the delicate linguistic and cultural balance in Assam, where Bengali-speaking communities coexist alongside various ethnic and indigenous groups.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Seriously, what's the big deal? It's a Tagore song! Rabindranath Tagore wrote both Jana Gana Mana and Amar Sonar Bangla. We're making unnecessary controversy out of cultural heritage. 🤦‍♀️
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Arjun K
As someone from Assam, I feel this is being blown out of proportion. The 85-year-old leader is a poet and was appreciating Tagore's work. Let's not mix culture with politics all the time.
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Sarah B
While I understand the cultural context, singing another country's national anthem in a political meeting does raise legitimate questions. There should be more sensitivity about such matters.
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Kavya N
Another day, another controversy in Assam politics! 😅 Both sides are using this for political mileage. The common people just want development, not these endless debates.
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Vikram M
The timing is suspicious. Just before elections, such videos go viral. Feels like a manufactured controversy to distract from real issues like unemployment and inflation.
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Michael C
Respectfully, I think we're missing the point here. The issue isn't about Tagore's poetry but about the context - a political leader singing another nation's anthem in an official party meeting. Context matters.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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