Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, addressed a special discussion in the Winter Session of Parliament to commemorate 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, describing the occasion as a significant moment of reflection for the nation and a source of learning for future generations.
PM Modi recalled the challenging historical contexts under which earlier milestones of the song were observed. When Vande Mataram completed 50 years, India remained under British rule; at its centenary, the country was facing the Emergency, a period during which he said “the spirit of the Constitution was throttled.” He noted that the 150-year mark is an opportunity to celebrate India’s pride and enduring unity.
The Prime Minister emphasised the role of Vande Mataram in inspiring the freedom struggle. He said that on such an occasion, there should be no divide between the ruling and Opposition benches, as the celebration belongs to the entire nation.
Modi drew from historical events, stating that during British rule it became fashionable to portray Indians as inferior or incapable. It was during this atmosphere, he added, that Bankim Chandra Chatterjee introduced Vande Mataram, offering a unifying force at a time when the British were attempting to politically and socially fracture India.
According to Narendra Modi, Bengal, then a major intellectual hub was deliberately targeted by colonial powers, who feared its influence on the rest of the country. Despite these attempts at division, he said, Vande Mataram “stood firm like a rock.”
The Prime Minister also criticised the Congress party for decisions made prior to Independence, alleging that it compromised on the national song under pressure from the Muslim League. Modi said Congress chose to limit the use of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas following objections from Mohammed Ali Jinnah in 1937. He cited a letter from Jawaharlal Nehru to Subhas Chandra Bose, in which Nehru warned that the song’s historical background might anger sections of the Muslim community.
Despite protests from across the country, Modi said, Congress resolved to restrict the hymn, presenting the decision as an attempt to uphold communal harmony. He argued that the move was politically motivated and amounted to appeasement. “History is witness that Congress knelt before the Muslim League,” he said, adding that the party’s willingness to divide Vande Mataram was a precursor to its acceptance of India’s partition.
Modi claims that, such political compromises weakened national unity and claimed that similar patterns of appeasement continue today.
The Parliament has allocated ten hours for a special discussion in both Houses to mark 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is scheduled to lead the debate on behalf of the Opposition.
