Mamata Banerjee Criticises PM Modi On Vande Mataram Remarks In Lok Sabha

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed strong criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks in the Lok Sabha on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.

She alleged that the BJP was unnecessarily politicising the matter concerning the National Song, originally composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.

She emphasised the role of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in selecting the portion of the hymn adopted as the National Song, saying, “It was Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, who identified the portion of Vande Mataram for the National Song. BJP had objections even to that. They have objections to everything. At times they oppose Gurudev, and at times they oppose Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.”

The Chief Minister’s comments came after PM Modi launched a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that the party once fractured the national song under pressure from the Muslim League and ‘knelt before them’.

The Prime Minister further stated, “Today, as we celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram, we must tell new generations the truth — that Congress once split this hymn, succumbing to the pressure of the Muslim League and its everlasting appeasement policy. This should never be allowed to happen again.”

Mamata Banerjee criticised the politicisation of national symbols and called for respect for historical decisions and cultural icons, highlighting how the hymn has historically inspired unity and resistance during the freedom struggle.

Addressing questions about her absence from the mass Gita chanting programme at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on Sunday, Banerjee clarified, “That event was actually a programme of the BJP in disguise. How could I attend that? I would have surely attended the event had it been a neutral programme. But I cannot attend a programme of those who constantly insult Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Raja Ram Mohan Roy.”

Comment on IndiGo Flight Fiasco

The Chief Minister also spoke on the recent IndiGo flight disruptions, attributing passenger difficulties to poor planning by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation.

“I have noticed that passengers are facing immense difficulties because of the flight fiasco during the last few days.

The Union government is responsible for this. There was an absolute lack of planning. I think that it is the right of the passengers to move to the court because of the problems faced by them,” she said.

She further questioned the government’s advice for passengers to seek alternative travel options, asserting, “How is that possible? Actually, the Union Government led by the BJP does not think of the common people. They always think of the election outcome.”

The Chief Minister’s statements underscore the continuing political debate over national symbols and governance, reflecting the tensions between state leadership and central policies in cultural and administrative matters.

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