Ragini Nayak Basoya at a press conference on February 18, 2026. Photo: X/@INCIndia
The Congress on Tuesday (Feb 17, 2026) criticized the Union Ministry of Culture for funding an event in December where hate speech was allegedly made against the Muslim community.
Addressing a press conference here, party spokesperson Ragini Nayak Basoya said the event — the Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsava, organized by the Sanatan Sanstha at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi — had received ₹63 crore from the Ministry of Culture.
The Ministry of Culture did not comment, but a Right to Information (RTI) response revealed that the Ministry of Culture has awarded a grant to commemorate 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram.
Spreading hate
“There was neither the va nor the ma of the national song. Instead, there were slogans like Bharat tere abbu ki jaagir nahin (Bharat is not your fiefdom),” Ms Basoya said.
Claiming that “the spread of hate” had been mainstreamed, she claimed that speakers at the event targeted Muslims, describing them as “infiltrators” and also suggested how to convert them.
Ms Basoya further claimed that the participants in the program included Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Shripad Naik and Sanjay Seth as well as Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra.
A suspicious group
The Congress spokesperson also alleged that the Sanatan Sanstha was being investigated by the Karnataka government in connection with the murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh and scholar MM Kalburgi and questioned why the Union government had given it financial support.
“Why does the Government of India need to give such an organization ₹63 crore for such a program? Does the Prime Minister want polarization?” she asked, demanding an explanation.
She also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a “double standard”, saying that while he maintains cordial relations with leaders of Muslim-majority countries abroad, Muslims are “victims” at home.
She said the prime minister had received a warm welcome in Malaysia as he represented a secular India, adding that an event like the one organized by the Sanatan Sanstha would tarnish the country’s reputation.
Ms Basoya accused the organization of misusing the term “Sanatan” and demanded that the government introduce “preventive legislation” to curb hate speech and divisive rhetoric.
Published – 18 Feb 2026 21:31 IST