For 150 years, Vande Mataram has embodied India spirit and nurtured a deep sense of nationalism: CM Yogi
Lucknow: The Chief Minister addressed the commemorative event at Lok Bhavan, where participants collectively sang the national song and took a pledge for Swadeshi. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Today marks a historic occasion as the nation celebrates 150 years of Vande Mataram, the song that became the mantra of India freedom movement.”
He said that under the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this day is being observed as a day of remembrance to honor the spirit of patriotism that Vande Mataram ignited.
He also paid tribute to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the author of Vande Mataram and visited the exhibition organized on the occasion. The event, organized by the Union Ministry of Culture, was broadcast live in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
CM Yogi said, “Vande Mataram became the immortal chant of India independence. Despite severe oppression under foreign rule, freedom fighters and revolutionaries awakened the nation collective consciousness, organizing processions in villages and towns and singing Vande Mataram during morning gatherings.”
Recalling the pandemic that struck a century ago, CM Yogi said that when India population was around 30 crore, millions of lives were lost and many villages were wiped out. Drawing parallels with the COVID-19 pandemic, he said that in modern times, too, every section of society from government officials to frontline workers, displayed the same spirit of service and resilience. He emphasized that only leadership guided by such compassion and commitment can truly think for India its culture and its people.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Vande Mataram, composed in 1875 was not merely a song of independence but a powerful medium that spread the message of freedom across India. A harmonious blend of Sanskrit and Bengali, it became an immortal hymn that united the nation with the spirit of the Motherland and reflected the eternal essence of India.”
The Chief Minister said that even when the British government attempted to divide the nation through the partition of Bengal in 1905 Vande Mataram inspired people to unite and resist. During the freedom struggle it became the voice of revolution, echoing from the lips of countless patriots who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
CM Yogi noted that throughout the independence movement, whenever a slogan or flag was conceived, Vande Mataram served as its soul. He added, “It transcended caste, creed and religion, instilling in every Indian the spirit of national unity and the resolve to put the nation first.” He described Vande Mataram as the collective expression of India eternal devotion, power and consciousness.
Marking its 150th anniversary, the Chief Minister paid tribute to its creator, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, recalling that Vande Mataram was adopted as the national song by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950. He said, “While the song originated from Bankim Chandra timeless novel Anand Math, which reflected the struggles of famine and hardship in Bengal, it soon evolved into a movement that gave India a new direction and awakened its collective spirit. For 150 years, this song has symbolized India soul and nurtured a renewed sense of nationalism.”
CM Yogi emphasized that Vande Mataram belongs to everyone, it does not glorify any specific deity, caste or sect but instead calls upon citizens to fulfill their duties toward the nation. Referring to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar presentation of the draft Constitution on November 26, 1949, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi words, he said, “We often talk about our rights, but rarely about our duties. Our duties must illuminate the path for present and future generations.” He added that the remarkable progress achieved by Uttar Pradesh in the past eight years is a reflection of this spirit of responsibility.
CM Yogi further said that Vande Mataram resonates in every act of dedication, when a teacher shapes young minds, when a soldier guards the nation’s borders in extreme conditions, when a farmer toils to feed the country and when every citizen rises above self-interest to serve the Motherland. Such devotion, he said, is the true embodiment of Vande Mataram.
The event was attended by Chief Secretary S.P. Goyal, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad, Director General of Police Rajiv Krishna, Agriculture Production Commissioner Deepak Kumar and other senior officials.
