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Why did Rahul Gandhi urge the nation to listen to Priyanka Gandhi as Parliament witnessed a charged debate on the 150 year journey of Vande Mataram and its political legacy that continues to spark sharp exchanges across party lines?
"Priyanka ka bhashan suno," said Rahul Gandhi.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday offered a brief yet attention grabbing response to the intensifying debate over the national song Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha. His four word remark Priyanka ka bhashan suno or Listen to Priyanka Gandhis speech came at a moment when Parliament was steeped in political tension over the songs historical treatment and its contemporary relevance.
The debate was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 7 1875. The Prime Minister framed the song as a powerful symbol of Indias struggle against colonialism and a unifying force during pivotal moments in the freedom movement.
Addressing the Lower House PM Modi called Vande Mataram a sacred war cry rather than merely a cultural expression. He noted that during the 1905 partition of Bengal the song served as a rallying call that inspired courage and unity among Indians.
The Prime Minister also drew a sharp contrast between the celebration of the songs 150th year now and its centenary in 1975 a period he described as dark due to the Emergency. According to him the Emergency throttled democratic values and suppressed voices of patriotism. He urged Parliament to restore what he termed the greatness of the national song through thoughtful recognition and debate.
Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP in Lok Sabha, says Vande Mataram cannot be ”politicised or owned”
The Congress dismissed the Prime Ministers accusation that the party had diluted Vande Mataram during its 1937 session in Faizabad. The BJP had claimed that the Congress accepted only select stanzas of the song thereby harming national unity and sowing the seeds of Partition.
Congress leaders argued that the decision had been taken following the advice of Rabindranath Tagore as a gesture of respect to members of various communities. They accused the BJP of distorting historical facts and demanded an apology for what they called an insult to the 1937 Congress Working Committee and to Tagores legacy.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi is also scheduled to respond to the ongoing debate in the Lok Sabha.
PM Modi hails Vande Mataram as freedom movement’s powerful mantra; Click for details
The latest political clash follows an earlier controversy after the Rajya Sabha Secretariat reiterated that MPs should avoid using expressions like Vande Mataram and Jai Hind inside Parliament in order to maintain decorum. The Opposition claimed the directive reflected the government’s discomfort with key national symbols that shaped the Independence movement.
Amid the heated exchanges Rahul Gandhi’s brief reply became a talking point. Instead of entering into the widening dispute he urged people to listen to Priyanka Gandhi Vadras remarks on the subject signalling the Congress plan to respond through a broader narrative rather than through personal counter attacks.
With ten hours allocated for the Vande Mataram debate and three hours reserved for the ruling alliance the discussion is expected to continue drawing intense reactions from all sides.
