Raipur, May 30 -- Amid the mounting controversy over playing the truncated version of Vande Mataram in the Keralam Assembly, senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday hit back at Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, challenging him to sing Vande Mataram without reading it. He added that BJP leaders don't sing the national song at their party functions.

Speaking to reporters here, Baghel claimed Congress sings both the National Anthem and Vande Mataram at its meetings, unlike the BJP.

"Vande Mataram has long been discussed in the Lok Sabha. Vishnu Deo Sai should ask his ministers to sing Vande Mataram. At Congress meetings, we sing both the National Anthem and Vande Mataram. However, at BJP functions, they don't sing it. I...