Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana has found himself at the centre of a controversy after he was seen walking away while the national anthem was played at an event here, drawing flak from the opposition.
Mahana, however, claimed that the anthem was not played where he was given the guard of honour.
A purported video of the incident shows the speaker staying still for a few seconds, then turning around and stepping down from the saluting dais while the anthem was played at the principals' council event held on Saturday.
Some supporters standing nearby then approached him and were seen touching his feet. The national anthem continued to play as Mahana proceeded towards his vehicle and left the venue.
The incident comes even as the BJP has been targeting the Congress for its decision to sing only two stanzas of the 'Vande Mataram' at their party programmes, terming it an "insult" to the national song.
Mahana, who represents the Maharajpur assembly constituency in Kanpur, attended the council's provincial convention and seminar at a SVM Inter college in Puran Nagar in Unnao.
As part of the protocol, police gave Mahana a guard of honour at the venue. Soon after the guard of honour ended, the national anthem began to play and in the purported video, he can be seen approaching his car to leave the premises.
Congress's social media department head Supriya Shrinate said in a post in Hindi on X, "You informers of the British, spread lies about 'Vande Mataram' later. First, explain this: why did your stalwart leader and UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana walk away right in the middle of the national anthem? Couldn't he wait for just 52 seconds?"
She added that the "insult" to 'Jana Gana Mana' will not be tolerated and demanded an apology.
Unnao Congress Committee leader Dinesh Shukla asked if the assembly speaker accepting the guard of honour as per protocol, but leaving the spot while the national anthem was played amounted to an insult to the national anthem.
SP spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria said, "Now what will the BJP, which gives a certificate to everyone, say about him?"
When asked about the viral video, Mahana told PTI: "The place where I was given the guard of honour, the national anthem was not played there. Also, when a guard of honour is given to any visiting dignitary, national anthem is not played as per the law established."
He said that the national anthem was played (at the venue), but he was not at the place where it was being played.
Questioning those who attack his "nationalistic credentials", Mahana said, "Does everyone stop and stand in an attention pose, while passing through a programme venue, where the national anthem is played?"
The programme in Unnao lasted around 40 minutes.
During his address, Mahana urged principals and educationists to discharge their responsibilities honestly, saying educational institutions were the foundation of the country's development and that a strong education system would lead to a stronger nation.
Amid the row over 'Vande Mataram', the BJP on Saturday passed a resolution on the national song, days after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) reaffirmed its 1937 decision to sing only the first two stanzas of the song at party programmes.
The saffron party said it will not accept any compromise on the honour of the national song for "political convenience" or "appeasement" and asserted that no party or individual was bigger than Parliament.
Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the same legal protection to 'Vande Mataram' that is afforded to the national anthem. The Bill makes it an offence to intentionally prevent the singing of the national song or to cause a disturbance to an assembly engaged in its singing.
(With inputs from PTI)