'Opposing Vande Mataram stanzas sowed seeds of division': PM Modi
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a 10-hour-long discussion in the Lok Sabha on Monday to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national song, Vande Mataram. "Vande Mataram was a unifying factor during the British policy of divide and rule in Bengal, and it stood like a rock during the Partition of Bengal," said PM Modi. It will be followed by a one-day special discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, led by the Home Minister.
Polemics
'Nehru agreed with Jinnah's sentiments': Modi
PM Modi accused Jawaharlal Nehru of having followed Muhammad Ali Jinnah in opposing 'Vande Mataram' because it could "irritate Muslims." In 1937, Congress decided to use only the first two stanzas of the song for national gatherings. The argument was that direct references to the Hindu goddesses, Durga, Kamala (or Lakshmi), and Saraswathi, were not well-received by some members of the Muslim community; they were seen as "exclusionary." Modi said dropping the stanzas "sowed the seeds of the nation's division."
Unifying anthem
PM Modi highlights Vande Mataram's role in uniting India
PM Modi said that Vande Mataram was a unifying force during the British divide-and-rule policy in Bengal. He said it remained a source of strength during the Partition of Bengal. "Vande Mataram is a mantra, a slogan which gave energy, inspiration, and showed the path for sacrifice and penance to the freedom movement," he said. The PM also recalled its historical context.
Restoration efforts
PM Modi expresses desire to restore Vande Mataram's glory
"Vande Mataram was written at a time when British rulers were trying to take their anthem 'God Save the Queen' to every household," PM Modi said. He also expressed his desire to restore the song's glory after 150 years. He said that the song has inspired many generations and will continue to do so. Meanwhile, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi raised concerns over IndiGo cancellations and sought government clarification.
Twitter Post
PM addressing Lok Sabha over 'Vande Mataram'
VIDEO | Debate over Vande Mataram: Speaking in Lok Sabha, PM Modi (@narendramodi) says, "The British understood that it was difficult for them to control India after 1857. They knew that their plans to divide India and make people fight each other would be hard to execute, so… pic.twitter.com/exTSMPjzsi
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 8, 2025
Song's impact
MP Sudha Murty praises Vande Mataram's unifying power
Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty also praised Vande Mataram for its unifying power. "Vande Mataram is a great song. It connected all our states, and the whole country was awakened by it," she said. However, CPI MP P Sandosh alleged that the BJP was using this discussion to divide people and focus on the Bengal elections.
Prideful moment
Dalit leader calls Vande Mataram discussion a moment of pride
Dalit leader Chandrashekhar Azad called the discussion on Vande Mataram a moment of pride. He said it should be a positive discussion as it's our national song. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also spoke about its importance in the anti-British struggle and criticized the past Congress government's changes to portray it as anti-women. Union Minister Chirag Paswan stressed how important this debate is for future generations.