Singing “Amar Sonar Bangla” in Sribhumi lands Congress in trouble; Himanta orders legal action

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the state police to register an FIR against the Sribhumi District Congress Committee after a video surfaced purportedly showing Congress members singing Bangladesh’s national anthem, “Amar Sonar Bangla,” during a party event.

Speaking to reporters, Sarma said, “In Sribhumi district, a member of the Congress party has been honoured by the national anthem of Bangladesh instead of the national anthem of India. This is a blatant disrespect to the people of India, our national anthem, and our sovereignty.”

He added that such an act aligns with “dangerous narratives” emerging from sections of Bangladeshi society claiming that the Northeast is part of Bangladesh, calling the incident “an endorsement of those anti-India sentiments.”

“I have instructed Assam Police to register a case against the District Congress Committee of Sribhumi and take action as per law. I will also discuss the provisions of the law with the police to ensure appropriate legal steps are taken,” Sarma said.

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The Chief Minister reiterated that his government would not tolerate any act that disrespects the nation or undermines India’s unity and integrity.

The controversy erupted after a video from a Congress Seva Dal meeting in Sribhumi showed members singing lines from “Amar Sonar Bangla,” composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who also wrote India’s national anthem. 

The Congress has since clarified that the incident was being “politically twisted,” stating the song was part of a cultural tribute to Tagore and not an act of disrespect.

Responding to the controversy over a Congress leader allegedly singing Bangladesh’s national anthem during a party meeting, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has defended the act, saying the song was composed by Rabindranath Tagore and embodies the essence of Bengali culture.

“It is a song composed by Rabindranath Tagore and conveys the sentiments of Bengali culture. The BJP has always insulted the Bengali language, Bengali culture, and the people of Bengal,” Gogoi said.

He accused the BJP of showing ignorance about Tagore’s legacy, adding that the party’s IT cell has “repeatedly insulted the people of Bengal in the past.”

“The people of Bengal and Bengali-speaking communities across India have now realised that the BJP only uses them for votes,” the Congress MP added.