New Delhi: A special discussion on the 150 years of India’s national song ‘Vande Mataram’ will be held in the Lok Sabha on Monday (December 8), during which several important and lesser-known facts of the historic poem will be revealed.
Composed in Sanskrit by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, renowned as Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, during the 1870s, the song became a timeless anthem of courage and unity, inspiring millions during India’s struggle for independence. The Union Cabinet on October 1 announced to celebrate the national song’s 150th anniversary across the country.
As the song marked its 150th anniversary on December 7, a 10-hour special discussion has been listed in the Lok Sabha to mark 150 years of India’s national song. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are expected to speak on the occasion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also set to address the House on Vande Mataram. He had earlier accused Congress of dropping key stanzas of the song years before India’s independence. “In 1937, crucial verses of ‘Vande Mataram’, a part of its soul, were severed. ‘Vande Mataram’ was broken, torn into pieces,” the PM said without naming anyone, while reciting all six stanzas.
Notably, the original poem has six stanzas, out of which only the first two stanzas have been officially adopted as India’s national song, since they are purely devotional and non-denominational parts.
Hitting back, the Congress cited a letter from Rabindranath Tagore to former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, where he himself sought the adoption of two stanzas as the national song, and demanded an apology from Modi.
What Is Centre’s Plan?
The government has pushed a major national debate on Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s iconic composition as part of its efforts to use the milestone to deepen youth connection with Vande Mataram.
Prime Minister Modi launched year-long Vande Mataram celebrations on November 7 to mark the milestone. A discussion on Vande Mataram is set to be the centre of political narrative during the ongoing Winter Session of the Parliament.
However, the opposition remains divided on the issue. While the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has supported the discussion, the Congress questioned the timing of the debate and accused the government of using it as a distraction from electoral reforms and the SIR issue.
This came after a parliamentary bulletin reiterated rules on maintaining decorum in the House, stating that slogans such as “Thanks,” “Jai Hind,” and “Vande Mataram” should not be raised during proceedings. The Opposition seized on the mention of Vande Mataram, with TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioning the government’s stance and Congress leaders accusing it of hypocrisy.
