Trinamool MP Objects To PM Saying 'Bankim Da', Not 'Bankim Babu'. His Reply | Read

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Lok Sabha, which opened the discussion to mark the 150th anniversary of the national song, Vande Mataram, ran into a "da" vs "babu" confusion today. This happened when the Prime Minister referred to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Vande Mataram's composer and legendary Bengali poet, as "Bankim Da". 

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy objected to the Prime Minister using "Da" to refer to the cultural icon. "Da", a short form of "Dada" meaning brother, is a suffix commonly used by Bengalis to address brothers, friends, and acquaintances. The Trinamool Congress MP felt that the Prime Minister's use of "Da" for the cultural icon was not very respectful. "You are saying Bankim Da? You should say Bankim Babu," he said.