Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a 10-hour debate in the Lok Sabha on Monday to mark the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram, a discussion expected to highlight several significant and lesser-known facets of its history, followed by a one-day special debate in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday led by the Home Minister.
Speaking during the discussion on '150 years of Vande Mataram' in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said, "You (BJP) are for the elections, we are for the country. No matter how many elections we lose, we will sit here and keep fighting you and your ideology. We will keep fighting for our country. You cannot stop us..."
Speaking during the discussion on '150 years of Vande Mataram' in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi questioned why the House is debating the national song, 79 years after independence.
"Why are we having this debate now?" she asked.
"There are two reasons as to why we are having this discussion now... one is the Bengal election..," she calimed.
Other reason is that the ruling BJP led government wants people to be stuck in the past and not look towards future, the Congress MP added.
DMK MP A Raja, during a discussion on '150 years of Vande Mataram' in the Lok Sabha, claimed that the national song written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as part of his novel Anandmath was used against Muslims in the country at the time.
Citing several communal remarks from Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's works, including Anandmath, Raja said, "There are reasons to come to the conclusion that Vande Mataram is not just exclusively against the British but also Muslims."
The MP also cited historian R C Majumdar and said, "Bankim Chandra converted patriotism into religion and religion into patriotism."
Speaking during the discussion on '150 years of Vande Mataram' in the Lok Sabha, DMK MP A Raja cited documents from the British government to claim that the national song was used by the right wing to spread communal polarisation in the country.
Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech earlier in the House, A Raja said, "The prime minister asks who did division in Vande Mataram, it was done by your forefathers, not by Muslims."
"Vande Mataram is not just for recitation but for abiding by...How will those who never took part in the freedom struggle understand the importance of Vande Mataram?...They are not 'Rashtrawadi' but Rashtravivadi people...", says Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav.
He added that the ruling BJP always tried to "own everything."
"Vande Mataram united the country and energised the freedom struggle...The ruling side always wants to own everything..." the former UP CM said.
"Vande Mataram is not for fake nationalists. It should not be politicised," said Akhilesh Yadav in the Lok Sabha.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is addressing the Parliament, joining the discussion on Vande Mataram.
'Vande Mataram' discussion in Parliament saw sharp exchanges after Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi raised issues of alleged “vote chori,” the recent Delhi blast, and the falling rupee, accusing the government of avoiding real debate
BJP members objected, and chair Jagdambika Pal directed Gogoi to stick to the scheduled topic, prompting brief commotion before proceedings continued.
During a debate on 'Vande Mataram', Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused the BJP of “twisting” Bengal’s cultural legacy and failing to understand the state’s history.
He said Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the composer of Vande Mataram, embodied a rich tradition of resistance to British rule, a legacy the BJP “has neither learned from nor respected.”
Gogoi alleged that the BJP views Bengal only through a “polarising lens,” claiming the party labels everything as “Bangladeshi” and lacks understanding of Bankim Chandra’s true contributions.
Gaurav Gogoi questioned the ideological lineage of the BJP, contrasting it with Congress leadership in the independence movement.
“The BJP speaks of nationalism today - but where were their political ancestors when millions fought the British? Congress leaders made sacrifices, went to jail, gave their lives. The ruling party cannot rewrite history,” he charged. His remarks came after PM Modi linked Vande Mataram to the 1975 Emergency and accused Nehru of opposing the song.
'Vande Mataram' was central to India’s fight against the British, inspiring millions, says Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi as he began the Opposition's charge.
There was a betrayal of Vande Mataram; the national song was sabotaged, the Prime Minister added. "Nehru had written in a letter to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that Vande Mataram could incite Muslims," he added.
PM Narendra Modi hit out at Congress for deletion from the Vande Matram song. The PM added that the Congress, led by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, made the changes based on pressure from the Muslim League.
The prime minister further stated that this giving in ultimately resulted to the partition into India and Pakistan.
While speaking in Lok Sabha on Vande Mataram debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The politics of the Muslim League opposing Vande Mataram took pace in 1937. Mohammed Ali Jinnah raised slogans against it. The then Congress chief Jawaharlal Nehru, instead of condemning their statements and expressing his and the party's fidelity towards Vande Mataram, started 'investigating' Vande Mataram just five days after Jinnah's opposition."
‘Vande Mataram was a unifying factor during the British policy of divide and rule in Bengal, and it stood like a rock during the Partition of Bengal,’ said PM Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lamented that when national song Vande Mataram completed 100 years, the Constitution was "throttled" and nation chained by Emergency.
Initiating a discussion on 150 years of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, Modi noted that when Vande Mataram completed 50 years, India was reeling under colonialism.
"When Vande Mataram completed 50 years, country was under colonial rule while at its 100th anniversary the nation was under Emergency," he said.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the origins on Vande Mataram and the Indian independence movement.
“We are sitting here because lakhs chanted Vande Mataram and fought for Independence,” he said, adding that remembering the national song today “is a great privilege for all of us in this House”.
“Vande Mataram was written at a time when British rulers were trying to take their anthem 'God Save the Queen' to every household,” he added further.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is a “matter of great pride” for the country to be witnessing 150 years of Vande Mataram.
Speaking in Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said the mantra of Vande Mataram played a pivotal role during India’s freedom struggle, giving “power and inspiration to the entire country” as it rallied against colonial rule.
PM Modi added that the message of the song continues to resonate even today, reminding citizens of India’s cultural heritage, collective resolve, and the sacrifices made to secure independence.
BJP MP Arun Govil said the debate on Vande Mataram is one which will help raise awareness about the national song
“Vande Mataram has been questioned many times, which is why a debate on the issue was needed. Actually, it is not a debate but the BJP’s effort to raise awareness about Vande Mataram. During Jawaharlal Nehru’s time, a few lines devoted to gods and goddesses were removed from Vande Mataram,” the BJP MP told news agency ANI.
Opposition parties will raise the issue of nation-wide IndiGo flights cancellations at 12 pm in Lok Sabha on Monday. The parties demand a statement from the Civil Aviation Minister.