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New Delhi: On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Vande Mataram song, during a special discussion in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharply criticized the Congress with historical references and made significant statements. Mentioning the decisive role of Vande Mataram in the freedom struggle, Modi referred to the Congress's 1937 decision related to this song as the 'seeds of partition'.
Modi said that in 1937, under the leadership of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim League protested against Vande Mataram. At that time, instead of resisting this opposition, the Congress agreed to change some stanzas of the song. “This compromise proved harmful for the country and eventually led to the consequences of partition,” Modi said. Referring to a letter written by Pandit Nehru to Subhash Chandra Bose, he also alleged, “Nehru had commented that some lines of the song might hurt the Muslim community.”
Honoring the author of Vande Mataram, Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay, Modi said, “Bankim Babu wrote this song at a time when speaking lowly of India had become a fashion.” After a request from a Bengal MP to refer to him as ‘Bankim Da’ instead of ‘Bankim Babu’, the Prime Minister immediately made the correction.
Referring to Bengal's historical role, Modi recalled the 1905 partition of Bengal. “The British tried to divide Bengal, but Vande Mataram became the soul of the movement. This song became a symbol of unity,” he said. During the speech, he also recited a few lines in Bengali and Tamil.
Vande Mataram gave a new impetus to the freedom struggle and strengthened the unity of the country. The Prime Minister noted that it is our responsibility to tell the history of the song to future generations. The discussion in the Lok Sabha received a mixed response from both the ruling party and the opposition.
PM Modi sharply criticized the Congress on the occasion of 150 years of Vande Mataram.
Referred to the 1937 Congress decision as “seeds of partition.”
Honored Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and highlighted the historical significance of the song.
Emphasized the role of the song in the Bengal partition of 1905 and the freedom struggle.
Bengali and Tamil lines were also recited during the speech.