Thrissur, Aug. 15 -- As the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protested in Thrissur, fuelling the Vande Mataram row on the day India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, Keralam Youth Welfare Minister OJ Janeesh on Saturday raised strong objections to it.

He said that the BJP's protest before the Thrissur Corporation office today was an "insult" to the "sanctity of Independence Day".

"The protest staged by the BJP today is an insult to the sanctity of Independence Day. Perhaps they feel it should be a day of protest because they have had no particular role in the Independence Day celebrations," Janeesh said.

"They should also have taken care to ensure that Vande Mataram was sung correctly. The BJP's move amounts to disrespecting...