Actor Abhay Deol has reacted to BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj’s remarks challenging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to sing the full version of Vande Mataram in the context of his call to “smash the patriarchy”.
Deol responded to an Instagram post carrying a video of Swaraj’s remarks with three rolling-on-the-floor-laughing emojis in the comments section.
The remarks by Swaraj, which were made in August, resurfaced on social media after actor Hrithik Roshan reacted to the video. Swaraj had challenged Gandhi to sing all six stanzas of Vande Mataram if he genuinely wanted to oppose patriarchy.
The video was shared by Ruchira Chaturvedi, national convenor of the Congress’ Social Media and Digital Communications. In it, Swaraj said she was comfortable singing Christmas carols, Vande Mataram in its entirety and reciting the Shiv Tandav, before issuing the challenge to Gandhi.
The exchange followed Gandhi’s address at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Pune in August, where he spoke about patriarchy and called on women to “smash the patriarchy”. He also criticised what he described as a “Manusmriti mindset”.
Before Deol’s reaction, Hrithik Roshan had commented on the same post, writing, “Huh? Is this real. Wow.” His comment subsequently drew widespread attention on social media.
Other members of the entertainment industry also reacted to Swaraj’s remarks. Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh posted multiple rolling-on-the-floor-laughing emojis, while actress Alaya F wrote, “What is this”, followed by laughing emojis.
Swaraj’s remarks also referred to the debate over singing the complete version of Vande Mataram. The Congress Working Committee had in 1937 recommended that only the first two stanzas be sung at national gatherings, citing objections to religious imagery in the later stanzas.
The episode has since brought together political comments and reactions from film personalities on social media, with the original remarks continuing to circulate online.