Parliament witnessed heightened tensions on Monday as Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma sharply criticised the Congress during a discussion on Vande Mataram.
He alleged that the party used a sectarian lens to portray the national song, and he claimed this approach, rooted in vote-bank politics, weakened India’s cultural unity.
Dr Sharma further alleged that the Opposition sought to create a rift between Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana. He claimed that portions venerating Bharat Mata were deliberately removed to serve political interests, describing it as an act that compromised the nation’s cultural ethos.
Reflecting on the song’s 150-year journey, Dr Sharma highlighted its origins in 1875 when Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote it to awaken patriotic fervour.
He noted that Rabindranath Tagore later set it to tune, turning it into a symbol of revolutionary spirit during the freedom struggle.
Dr Sharma also questioned former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s stance on the song. Citing correspondence from 1937, he stated that Nehru considered the lyrics difficult and unsuitable, an opinion that, according to Sharma, influenced the committee responsible for removing parts of the song. He argued that this decision did not reflect the nation’s sentiments.
Countering claims of division, Sharma highlighted the involvement of Muslim freedom fighters in upholding Vande Mataram.
He mentioned figures like Aruna Asaf Ali and pointed out that a Lahore-based publication named Vande Mataram was once staffed entirely by Muslims. He argued that the spirit of the song transcended religious lines.
Concluding his remarks, Dr Sharma called for preserving the full version of the song and reinforcing a united national identity.
He emphasised the need for an economically strong, culturally rooted and spiritually awakened India under the vision of ‘One India, Great India’.
Sharma’s comments have further intensified the parliamentary debate, highlighting the continuing intersection of heritage, politics and national identity.
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