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At the 150‑year memorial debate for Vande Mataram in Parliament, Narendra Modi accused Indian National Congress under Jawaharlal Nehru of “tukde‑tukde” of the national song, claiming its 1937 truncation “sowed the seeds of partition”. Is Vande Mataram’s legacy finally up for rewrite?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Vande Mataram discussion in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: Narendra Modi on Monday led a special discussion in the Lok Sabha to mark 150 years of the national song “Vande Mataram”, renewing its historical and cultural significance in a session that saw fierce criticism of the Indian National Congress (INC).
Modi described the occasion as a “historic moment” not only to recall the song’s emotional power, but to reclaim what he called a lost legacy. “This song is a mantra that energised and inspired India’s freedom movement,” he said, pointing out that when the British banned its printing and propagation, “Vande Mataram stood like a rock” against oppression.
At the heart of the debate was a sharp allegation: that under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru the Congress in 1937 adopted only a truncated version of Vande Mataram using just the first two stanzas and omitting the rest, which included references to Hindu goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
PM Modi to lead Lok Sabha debate on 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ today
Quoting archival letters allegedly written by Nehru to Subhas Chandra Bose, Modi accused him of saying that portions of the song might “provoke and irritate Muslims,” thus paving the way for what he described as “pandering to communal concerns.”
He warned that the 1937 decision to excise parts of the poem had contributed in spirit, if not directly to social and ideological division, which later culminated in the country’s partition.
Originally written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in November 1875 and published in his novel Anandamath, Vande Mataram quickly became a clarion call in India’s struggle against British colonialism.
By 1950, the first two verses of the poem had been formally adopted as India’s National Song alongside the national anthem.
Yet, as Modi’s speech in Parliament demonstrated, Vande Mataram remains a flashpoint in India’s ongoing debates over national identity, religion, and heritage. For Modi and his supporters, restoring the “original” lyrics is part of a broader effort to reclaim historic symbols.
Modi argued that the 150‑year milestone is more than an anniversary it’s a chance for India to reconnect with its foundational ideals. He stressed that when Vande Mataram turned 50, the country still fought British rule; by its 100th year, India endured the turmoil of the internal Emergency. This year, he said, should mark the restoration of national pride.
Parliament to hold special debate on 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’; PM Modi to address
He called for unity across all regions and communities, urging citizens to draw inspiration from the song as India “strives to fulfill the dreams of our freedom fighters” and aspires for a developed, self‑reliant future.
The Congress, for its part, rejected the current charges as attempts to distort history. Citing the role of Rabindranath Tagore who reportedly supported adopting only the first two verses it argued that the 1937 decision was an effort to make the song inclusive and secular.
Supporters of Congress contend that the truncated version retained the spirit of national unity and avoided unnecessary religious symbolism, a point fiercely disputed by the BJP. The new Lok Sabha debate has thus revived old arguments about identity, heritage, and whether national symbols can or should evolve with time.
As the winter session proceeds and the 10‑hour parliamentary debate unfolds, Vande Mataram’s past and future both symbolic and political remains at the center of the conversation.
