RSS, BJP insulting national symbols: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS of insulting national symbols and said "both are pursuing a cheap agenda to create a divide in the country and trying to twist the history of our independence". Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarkaryavah Bhaiyyaji Joshi on Saturday said the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' described the idea of 'rajya' (state) while the national song 'Vande Mataram' denoted India’s cultural identity and our devotion to it. "The Bharatiya Janata Party and the RSS in the past 23 months have been insulting the national symbols of our country. It is a cheap agenda to create a division in the country. Bhaiyyaji Joshi publicly insulted the Indian flag. It is clear now that the RSS is trying to ignore the history of the freedom struggle," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said. He added: "Joshi ji used insulting words to describe the national anthem and the national song. He said national anthem doesn't generate a feeling of patriotism as the national song does. This is a conspiracy to twist the history of our Independence." The RSS leader had also said that "if one considered the true meaning, then Vande Mataram was the national anthem" since the "sentiments expressed in Vande Mataram denote the nation's character and style. This is the difference between the two songs". Joshi had said while the Tricolour was India's 'state flag', the 'saffron flag' was the symbol of our ancient culture. "The Constituent Assembly had 'adopted the tiranga (tricolour) as our state flag, and it was later retained as that of the Republic of India. It is mandatory for every citizen of India to respect this symbol. The saffron flag has been revered by the people of Bharat since times immemorial as a symbol of our ancient culture. We revere both the tiranga (tricolour) and the saffron flag," Joshi had said.