New Delhi — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a special discussion in Parliament marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, revisited historical events surrounding the song’s political controversy in 1937, alleging that the Congress leadership compromised under pressure from the Muslim League.
Speaking about the period when the Muslim League intensified its protests against Vande Mataram, PM Modi said the opposition to the song was not countered firmly by national leaders of the time. He claimed that instead of defending the national song, Jawaharlal Nehru expressed reservations about it and wrote to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose saying that elements of its background might “irritate Muslims.”
The Prime Minister said that following growing pressure, the Congress Working Committee convened in Kolkata and decided to limit the use of Vande Mataram, projecting the move as an attempt to safeguard social harmony. Modi argued that the real motivation behind the decision was political pressure rather than principles of inclusivity.
“This pattern of appeasement,” PM Modi said, “did not end there. It continued for decades and shaped many decisions that compromised the nation’s cultural identity.”
The Prime Minister asserted that Vande Mataram has played a crucial role in India’s freedom struggle and national consciousness, and its legacy should be upheld without hesitation or selective interpretation.
His remarks sparked sharp reactions across the political spectrum, setting off a renewed debate over historical decisions, Congress leadership during the freedom movement, and the contemporary relevance of national symbols.
The special discussion marked the 150th year since Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay first wrote Vande Mataram in 1875, a song that later became a rallying cry for India’s independence movement.
