New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the Lok Sabha debate on Vande Mataram and said Congress reduced the national song to two stanzas to satisfy the Muslim League. He said former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that the song’s link to Anandamath could irritate Muslims.
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote the original stanzas of Vande Mataram in the 1870s. A longer version in his book Anandamath included references to Hindu deities. Modi said Congress weakened the song’s form to deal with political pressure. He linked this decision to the wider debates of the pre partition years.
The Prime Minister said India did not recognise the song’s anniversaries under free conditions. It was 50 years old under colonial rule and 100 years old during the Emergency. He said its 150 year milestone offers an opportunity to restore its place in the national imagination. He encouraged younger lawmakers to study its history.
Modi said Bankim Chandra wrote during a period when some intellectuals dismissed Indian culture. A Bengal MP intervened to correct Modi’s use of “Bankim da” and the Prime Minister responded by saying “Bankim Babu”.
He said Vande Mataram inspired crores of Indians during the freedom movement. He cited Gandhi’s writing that the song became so popular it worked like a national anthem. Modi said the Muslim League began opposing Vande Mataram in 1937. He said Mohammed Ali Jinnah led the resistance and Nehru responded by examining the song instead of defending it. He said this approach set the stage for later confusion and division on national symbols. He accused Congress of carrying the same approach today.
