Drama in Lok Sabha over 'Vande-Mataram'; PM slams Nehru, opposition hits back

The Lok Sabha commenced a 10-hour discussion on Monday to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national song, 'Vande Mataram'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the debate, which is expected to cover significant and lesser-known historical facets of the song. This discussion will be followed by a one-day special session in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, led by the Home Minister.

Prime Minister Modi used the platform to launch a sharp attack on the Congress party, accusing them of repeatedly insulting the national song. He alleged that the Congress had compromised on 'Vande Mataram' and surrendered before the Muslim League, stating, "Vande Mataram was divided first, and then the country was divided," citing the 1947 Partition. He further claimed that Jawaharlal Nehru had written that 'Vande Mataram' could "incite Muslims" and accused Nehru of doing a "tukde-tukde" (fragmentation) of the song.

Leading the Opposition’s charge, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi immediately slammed the Prime Minister, accusing him of attempting to politicize 'Vande Mataram' and asserting that it was the Congress party that upheld the song in its true spirit. Gogoi took a dig at the PM, asking where the BJP's "political ancestors" were during the anti-British fight, emphasizing that 'Vande Mataram' was central to India’s fight against the British.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also joined the discussion, cautioning against politicizing the national song. He stated clearly, "Vande Mataram is not for fake nationalists. It should not be politicized." Yadav further accused the BJP of trying to "own and appropriate freedom fighters" who have no connection to the party. He highlighted that the song was a key unifying factor that shook the British, eventually forcing them to ban it.

The political tensions were evident when Congress MP Gogoi attempted to raise unrelated current issues, including 'vote chori' allegations, the recent Delhi blast incident, and the fall in the value of the rupee, during the discussion. BJP MPs, alongside the chairing MP Jagdambika Pal, opposed this attempt and asked Gogoi to adhere strictly to the topic of 'Vande Mataram'.

Adding to the controversy, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi skipped the discussion, leading to an attack from the BJP, which accused the Gandhis of showing "utter disrespect for the patriotic Vande Mataram." Meanwhile, PM Modi stressed the song's importance, stating that there is no "global parallel to Vande Mataram," and when spoken, it reminds us of the 'Ved Kaal' and our land as our mother.