PM Modi says, India has capability to overcome every challenge, and spirit of Vande Mataram embodies that strength

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India has the capability to overcome every challenge, and the spirit of Vande Mataram embodies that strength. He said, Vande Mataram is not just a song or a hymn, but a source of inspiration that awakens people towards their duties. He underscored that Vande Mataram is the country’s inspiration as people pursue the dream of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

 

 

The Prime Minister said this during a discussion on the 150th Anniversary of the National Song Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha yesterday. The national song was written by Bankimchandra Chatterji in 1875.

 

 

Initiating the discussion, Mr Modi said, the mantra of Vande Mataram gave power and inspiration to the entire country and energised the freedom movement. He said, remembering the sacred Vande Mataram, today is a great privilege for all members of this House and the countrymen. He said the national song Vande Mataram became a source of inspiration during the freedom struggle, leading to the country’s independence in 1947.

 

 

The Prime Minister said, Vande Mataram is the force that drives the people to achieve the dreams of the freedom fighters envisioned.

 

 

The Prime Minister said, when Vande Mataram celebrated its 100th anniversary, the country was shaken by the emergency. He added that when the national song should have been celebrated with great fervour, the Constitution of India was strangled, and those who lived and died for patriotism were imprisoned behind bars.

 

 

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Vande Mataram rekindled an idea deeply rooted in India for thousands of years.

 

 

The Prime Minister said, Vande Matram was written at a time of uprising against the British government for unleashing various forms of oppression. He said through the national song, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay responded to this challenge with great strength and resolve. He said the deep connection of Vande Mataram with the people reflects the journey of the country’s freedom movement.

 

 

The Prime Minister highlighted that the politics of the Muslim League opposing Vande Mataram took place in 1937. Mr Modi criticised Congress for compromising on Vande Mataram. He alleged that Congress bowed to the Muslim League on the national song.

 

 

The Prime Minister accused that Mohammed Ali Jinnah raised slogans against the Vande Mataram, and the then Congress President Jawaharlal Nehru, instead of condemning Jinnah, started investigating Vande Mataram just five days after Jinnah’s opposition.

 

 

Participating in the discussion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, Vande Mataram is a part of the country’s present, past, and future. He said, the National Song gave strength to the freedom fighters to fight against the British rulers. Mr Singh said it is a song that awakened the country and became a source of motivation. He said the national song inspired the people of the country during the partition of Bengal in 1905. He alleged that Congress divided the nation by dividing the national song, and Vande Mataram did not get its rightful place in history like the national anthem.

 

 

Participating in the debate, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, Vande Mataram is the soul of the country, and every Indian feels proud while singing it. She said, Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore recited Vande Mataram at a Congress session in 1896. She alleged that the debate on Vande Mataram is being held today to divert attention from the core issues like unemployment and inflation. She said, the government wants to hide the present reality. 

 

 

Another party leader, Gaurav Gogoi, said, several writers and poets from Bengal wrote songs that inspired people during the Independence movement. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to give a political colour to the debate during his speech.

 

 

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said, Vande Mataram united people. He claimed that the emotion behind Vande Mataram was to reject communal politics.  Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar of TMC said, Vande Mataram is the creative impulse of determination and consciousness in the heart of every Indian. Devesh Chandra Thakur of JD(U) said, Vande Mataram was not just a song, but a national call for awakening.

 

 

Dr Byreddy Shabari of TDP said, Vande Mataram is an eternal song, and it represents courage, hope and collective consciousness of the country. Shrirang Barne of Shiv Sena said the national song Vande Mataram is synonymous with nationalism. He accused Congress of removing paragraphs of the national song pertaining to Goddess Durga and Bharat Mata. A Raja of DMK, Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT), Bhaskar Bhagare of NCP (SCP) also participated in the discussion. 

 

 

Anurag Singh Thakur of the BJP said, Vande Mataram is as holy as the Vedas, the Quran and the Bible. He attacked the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, over his absence during the debate. Rajesh Verma of Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) said, the national song united crores of people to fight against the British.

 

 

At the beginning of the discussion, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, the House is taking up the discussion of Vande Mataram, the National song written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. He said the national song offered light and hope during difficult times as India fought off colonial oppression.

 

 

Mahua Moitra of TMC criticised the government for claiming to be the guardians and true upholders of the spirit of Vande Mataram. She accused the government of discussing Vande Mataram in the House to divert attention from the government’s failures at different fronts.

 

 

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda alleged that certain people are chanting Vande Mataram to garner votes.  He said Vande Mataram united the nation at a time when the British were pursuing their Divide and Rule policy.

 

 

Biplab Kumar Deb of the BJP said the freedom struggle of India can be summed up with the line, Vande Mataram. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram in a big manner so that today’s generation can learn about the nation’s glorious past.

 

 

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, IUML’s ET Mohammed Basheer, Samajwadi Party’s Iqra Choudhary, Lovely Anand of JDU, BJP MP Sambit Patra, Kalyan Bannerjee of TMC, were among those who participated in the debate.

 

 

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said a total of 66 members participated in the debate. He said the entire nation watched how everyone in the House came together for a discussion on Vande Mataram till midnight. He expressed hope that such constructive discussions will continue to be held in the House. Later, the House was adjourned for the day.