Ahmedabad, Sept. 9 -- A controversy erupted in the Gujarat assembly on Wednesday after Congress MLA Imran Khedawala sat during part of the singing of the national song Vande Mataram at the start of the monsoon session. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an apology.

The three-day session began with the customary rendition of the national song. Khedawala, who represents Ahmedabad's Jamalpur-Khadia constituency and is the lone Muslim legislator in the House, initially stood and later took his seat while other members remained standing.

BJP leaders including minister of state Pravin Mali condemned the incident. "Whenever the legislative assembly begins its session, there has been a tradition for years of starting the proceedings with...