Music composer and singer Vishal Dadlani posted a video on his Instagram criticizing the Lok Sabha’s 10-hour debate held to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram, calling it an unnecessary expenditure of time and taxpayer money.
The debate, initiated on Monday, focused on the historical and cultural significance of the national song penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, long regarded as an emblem of India’s freedom movement.
In his video message, he said, “Yesterday, our Parliament debated Vande Mataram for 10 hours. It’s a beloved patriotic song, no doubt. But because of this marathon debate, unemployment is solved, Indigo’s issues are solved, air pollution is solved. Apparently, everything is fixed.” His sarcasm underscored his criticism that real issues including joblessness and environmental challenges did not receive attention. Dadlani also pointed to the cost of running Parliament, noting, “One minute of Parliament costs ₹2.5 lakh. Ten hours means 600 minutes. You do the math.”
Leading the Opposition’s criticism, MP Priyanka Gandhi questioned the very need for a parliamentary debate on the National Song, accusing the government of using it as a distraction from pressing issues like unemployment and rising prices.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra argued that the discussion was timed with an eye on next year’s West Bengal Assembly elections and intended to revive allegations against freedom fighters. She also challenged the ruling party to hold a debate on Jawaharlal Nehru and “close the chapter for once and all”. “The government wanted a debate on Vande Mataram because the Bengal polls are coming soon. The government wants us to keep delving into the past because it does not want to look at the present and future,” she said.
