Prime Minister Narendra Modi commemorated 150 years of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, recalling its significance as a unifying hymn against colonial rule.
He sharply criticised the Congress party, alleging it fractured the national song under pressure from the Muslim League.
PM Modi traced the hymn’s origins to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and the anti-colonial fervour in Bengal.
He said, “That was a time when Bengal’s strength inspired the country. In 1905, when the British divided Bengal, Vande Mataram stood like a rock. ‘Street to street’ was the slogan for Bengal’s unity, and that slogan continued to inspire.”
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi’s 1905 writings in Indian Opinion, PM Modi reminded the House that Gandhi had described Vande Mataram as ‘our national anthem’ and ‘more melodious than the songs of other nations’.
The Prime Minister highlighted the extraordinary courage of citizens who defied colonial bans.
Women in Sindh and Barisal, including Sarojini Bose, refused traditional adornments, while children faced beatings for chanting the hymn.
He paid tribute to revolutionaries such as Khudiram Bose, Madanlal Dhingra, Ashfaq Ullah Khan, Roshan Singh, and Rajendra Nath Lahiri, who embraced martyrdom while chanting Vande Mataram.
PM Modi also recalled Master Surya Sen’s poem, echoing the hymn, before his execution in 1934, and pointed to Veer Savarkar singing it at India House in London.
Bipin Chandra Pal named his newspaper after it, and Madam Bhikaji Cama published Vande Mataram abroad despite bans.
The hymn became the mantra of Swadeshi, inscribed on ships built by PO Chidambaram Pillai in 1907, and celebrated in the works of Tamil poet Subramania Bharati.
Congress and the Politics of Appeasement
PM Modi questioned why the hymn, so central to India’s struggle, was subjected to ‘injustice’ and sidelined.
He said, “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.”
PM Modi further stated, “History is testament to the fact that Congress knelt before the Muslim League and did this under pressure. This was the politics of appeasement. Because Congress bowed to the division of Vande Mataram, it later bowed to the division of India.”
The Prime Minister urged Parliament and citizens to ensure that Vande Mataram regains its rightful place in India’s national consciousness and continues to inspire future generations.
Also Read: PM Modi Commemorates 150 Years Of Vande Mataram; Recalls Emergency Era Excesses
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