Rahul Gandhi Gives Four-Word Reply To 'Vande Mataram' Debate In Parliament

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday gave a four-word reply to the debate on the national song 'Vande Mataram' in the Parliament - "Priyanka ka bhashan suno" (Listen to Priyanka Gandhi's speech).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off a debate on 'Vande Mataram' in the Lok Sabha as the song completed 150 years. This came a month after a political row broke out when the PM accused the Congress of dropping important stanzas of 'Vande Mataram' during the 1937 session of the party in Faizabad. According to him, the grand old party's decisions "sowed the seeds of Partition" and "dissected the national song into pieces".

The Congress, however, claimed the decision was based on the advice of Rabindranath Tagore and amounted to the accommodation of feelings of members from other communities and faiths. Congress also demanded an apology from the BJP, and accused the ruling party of "insulting" the Congress Working Committee (CWC) of 1937 - which had issued a statement on the national song, as well as Rabindranath Tagore.

Earlier, a political confrontation had erupted just before the start of the Winter Session as the Rajya Sabha Secretariat reiterated that MPs must refrain from using expressions such as 'Vande Mataram' and 'Jai Hind' inside Parliament to maintain decorum. The Opposition accused the BJP-led NDA of being uncomfortable with symbols of India's Independence and unity.

What PM Modi said in Parliament

PM Modi, addressing the Lok Sabha, highlighted the contribution of the song, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875, to the freedom struggle, its historical significance and current relevance.

"Vande Mataram is not just a mantra for political freedom; it was a sacred war cry to rid Bharatmata of vestiges of colonialism. It is a matter of pride for us that we are witnessing the historic occasion of 'Vande Mataram' completing 150 years. The British divided Bengal in 1905, but 'Vande Mataram' stood like a rock and inspired unity," he said.

Hitting out at the Congress, PM Modi said, "When 'Vande Mataram' completed 100 years, the nation was chained by the Emergency. At that time, the Constitution was throttled, and those who lived and died for patriotism were pushed behind prison bars. The Emergency was a dark chapter in our history. Now we have the opportunity to restore the greatness of 'Vande Mataram'. And I believe this opportunity should not be allowed to pass."

As per the schedule for the 'Vande Mataram' debate, the ruling NDA members have been allotted three hours out of the total 10 hours earmarked in Lok Sabha for it, reported news agency IANS.

Deputy Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi is also replying to the debate in the Lower House.