Lok Sabha Picture Credit: Vinay Panjwani, Moving Pixels
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on Monday to commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram, an exercise aimed at bringing to light several lesser-known aspects of the patriotic song.
The Prime Minister is likely to underline the contribution of Vande Mataram—penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875—to India’s independence movement, while also reflecting on its place in modern national discourse.
Opposition MPs are closely anticipating his remarks.
Last month, while marking the song’s anniversary, PM Modi criticised the Congress for ‘removing important stanzas’ from the original composition at the party’s 1937 Faizabad session.
He further argued that the decision ‘sowed the seeds of Partition’ by fragmenting the national song.
Congress leaders countered that the move came on the advice of Rabindranath Tagore and was intended to respect sentiments across religious communities.
In the Upper House, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will likely initiate a similar debate on Tuesday.
The Lok Sabha agenda allocates three of the ten hours of discussion to the ruling NDA.
The political temperature around Vande Mataram has risen in recent weeks.
Just ahead of the Winter Session, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat reiterated that Members of Parliament should avoid raising slogans like ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Hind’ inside the House to maintain decorum.
The Opposition accused the government of feeling uneasy about symbols associated with the country’s freedom struggle.
With the Winter Session set to continue until December 19, the upcoming debate will likely be contentious as ruling and opposition parties hold sharply contrasting views on the national song’s legacy and usage.
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