Addressing the Congress convention of booth-level agents and workers in South Goa’s Verna, Kharge said it was the Congress which fought for the freedom of the country. (PTI)Amid the controversy over the rendition of Vande Mataram at an Independence Day event, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday hit out at the BJP and the RSS, calling them “anti-India” and questioned their role in India’s freedom struggle.Addressing the Congress convention of booth-level agents and workers in South Goa’s Verna, Kharge said it was the Congress which fought for the freedom of the country. “Which BJP or RSS leader fought for Independence? And you teach us patriotism? [They say] we are anti-India. You are anti-India…you are anti-religion,” he said. “You are anti-religion because when a person like me goes to Uttarakhand and gives a speech before lakhs of people…you do a ‘purification’ through a ‘havan’ two days later. Is it not a shame on this country? Your religion teaches this? Your Gurus…they teach this? Where is your (M S) Golwalkar Guruji? Where are the teachers…who taught you? Have they taught only this? Paapi log toh aap hain, apka pehle shuddhikaran hona chahiye [You are the sinners, you must be ‘purified’ first],” he said.At the convention, Congress workers sang the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram before the leaders addressed the crowd.A political row had erupted on Sunday after Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of attempting to stop the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the party headquarters on Independence Day and said the party should apologise to the nation. The Congress denied the charge and defended its leader, stressing that the full rendition of Vande Mataram was sung at the function.Kharge said Congress leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru had devoted their lives to the freedom struggle. He said the BJP and RSS did not fight for independence and instead wrote letters to the British, pledging their support. “They were slaves of the British. What does history say? You…from the BJP or whoever from the RSS…wrote letters to the British, saying we are in your support. What did we [Congress] say? ‘Do or die’. This was Mahatma Gandhi’s voice. Your voice was…maafi maangna [to apologise]. Ye maafi sarkaaren hein [these are apology governments],” he said.He said, “You yourself are not a patriot. Had you been a patriot, you would talk about unity…you would talk of secularism…but you are the one breaking the country.”Referring to Goa Congress leaders, who switched over to the BJP in the recent past, Kharge said, “Our people won with a big majority in Goa the previous time, but some people defected…Today, out of 12 ministers [in the Cabinet], 10 are from the Congress. They are all defectors. Do not vote for these gaddars [traitors].”Slamming the BJP for “stealing MLAs” and “engineering” defections, Kharge said the BJP government in Goa is a “government of thieves.” He said, “The Congress should have formed the government here. But they [BJP] formed the government ‘tod-fod ke’ [through defections]. So, what should I call it? And these people will teach us morality?”Story continues below this adKharge stressed the need for unity in the party ahead of 2027 Assembly elections and appealed to the workers to work at the booth-level. He said the Congress government, if voted to power, would tackle the drug issue in the state, create jobs, reduce inflation and protect Goa’s environment and ecology.The Congress President said rich people from other states were “looting” the state by purchasing vast tracts of land. “Many people want to loot Goa. Specifically, rich people from Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi…who come from big cities and are purchasing land here. Are they buying land for your benefit? They do it for their pleasure. When they come here…tell them we do not have people here who can give us jobs. [Tell them] we only have space for those tourists who respect Goa’s culture,” he added.Pavneet Singh Chadha is the Goa Correspondent of The Indian Express. His reporting focuses intensely on the state of Goa, covering major developments in politics, governance, and significant local events, which establishes his high degree of Expertise and Authority in the region. Expertise Geographic Expertise: As the Goa correspondent, Pavneet provides on-the-ground, comprehensive coverage of Goa's political, social, and cultural landscape, ensuring readers receive timely and localized insights. Key Coverage Focus: His recent work demonstrates deep investigative capabilities and a focus on high-impact stories, including: Investigative Reporting: Extensive coverage of complex events such as major incidents (e.g., the Goa nightclub fire), tracing the legal, political, and safety lapses involved. Government and Law Enforcement: Detailed tracking of police actions, deportations, and legal proceedings related to significant local cases. Policy and Governance: Reporting on the judiciary (e.g., Goa High Court flagging illegal structures) and the actions of government departments. He tweets @pub_neat ... Read More