"First Nehru, now Rahul Gandhi disregarded 'Vande Mataram'": PM Modi targets Congress in Parliament

New Delhi [India], December 8 : Attacking the Congress party over disrespecting the national song 'Vande Mataram', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday criticised Rahul Gandhi for his absence during discussions in Parliament, asserting that the Congress compromised on the national song and "surrendered before the Muslim League".
Addressing the Lok Sabha on the sixth day of the Winter Session, PM Modi said, "Serious discussion is going on in Parliament, but LoP Rahul Gandhi is not present in the House. First Nehru, now Rahul Gandhi, has shown disregard to Vande Mataram."
The Prime Minister accused the Congress of insulting the national song and surrendering before the Muslim League, stating, "Congress still insults Vande Mataram. "Congress compromised on Vande Mataram and surrendered before the Muslim League. Nehru did a 'tukde-tukde' of Vande Mataram."
He recalled a historical letter, adding, "Nehru had written to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that Vande Mataram could incite Muslims. There was a betrayal of Vande Mataram; the national song was sabotaged."
Highlighting the significance of the song in India's freedom struggle, the prime minister said that the "song was to revive our history and legacy of a thousand years."
"Vande Mataram became the voice of our freedom movement. It integrated everyone in the country and became the resolve of every Indian... 'Swaarth ka balidaan hai ye shabd Vande Mataram'. 'Veer ka abhimaan hai ye shabd Vande Mataram'. During the British era, it became a fashion to show India as weak, useless, lazy, and demeaned in all possible ways. The same language was spoken by people in our country as well. Bankim da composed the song to shake the conscience of the country and bring an awakening. This song was to revive our history and legacy of a thousand years," PM Modi said.
Asserting that 'Vande Mataram' was not just a mantra for political independence, the prime minister said that it is a modern avatar of our great cultural legacy on the occasion of Vande Mataram completing 150 years.
PM Modi hailed 'Vande Mataram' as a "powerful mantra" and slogan that energised and "inspired India's freedom movement", saying that the "government aims to restore its glory for future generations".
PM Modi said, "Vande Mataram was not just a mantra for political independence. It was not limited to our independence; it was way beyond that. The freedom movement was a war to free our motherland from the clutches of slavery... During our Vedas, it was said, This land is my mother, and I am the son of the soil. This same idea was conveyed by Shri Ram when he gave up Lanka, Vande Mataram is a modern avatar of our great cultural legacy."
The Prime Minister recalled the British divide-and-rule politics and said that they divided Bengal in 1905, but "Vande Mataram stood like a rock" at that time.PM Narendra Modi says, "This is when the British started to divide and rule. They used Bengal as their laboratory. Even they knew that Bengal's intellectual capability gave direction, strength, and inspiration to the country. They knew Bengal's capabilities were the focal point of the country. This is why they divided Bengal. They believed that if Bengal was divided, the country would be divided too... When they divided Bengal in 1905, Vande Mataram stood like a rock."
"Vande Mataram is a mantra, a slogan which gave energy, inspiration, and showed the path for sacrifice and penance to the freedom movement. It is a matter of pride that we are becoming witnesses to 150 years of Vande Mataram. It is a historic moment."He noted that the country is currently celebrating several historic milestones, including 75 years of the Constitution, the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Patel and Birsa Munda, and the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji,' PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister emphasised the government's aim to restore the glory of Vande Mataram for future generations. He described it as a mantra that energised and inspired India's freedom struggle, showing the path of courage, sacrifice, and devotion.
"The mantra that energised and inspired India's freedom movement and showed the path of courage and determination. Remembering that sacred Vande Mataram today is a great privilege for all of us in this House. It is a matter of pride for us that we are witnessing the historic occasion of Vande Mataram completing 150 years," he said."Remembering that sacred Vande Mataram today is a great privilege for all of us in this House," he added.
PM Modi also reflected on the historical context, saying that the Constitution was "choked" at the 100th anniversary of Vande Mataram, which coincided with the Emergency. He recalled how lakhs of Indians chanted the slogan and fought for independence, underscoring its significance in uniting the nation.
Recalling the 50 years of the national song when India was under British rule, PM Modi further said that 150 years of Vande Mataram is an opportunity to reinstate that pride and that great part of our past."When Vande Mataram completed 50 years, India was under British rule. When Vande Mataram completed 100 years, India was in the clutches of Emergency... At that time, the patriots were imprisoned. When the song that inspired our freedom movement, unfortunately, India was witnessing a black period. 150 years of Vande Mataram is an opportunity to reinstate that pride and that great part of our past... This song inspired us to attain freedom in 1947," he added.
Slamming the opposition party for not being part of the discussion, PM Modi said that this is now the time to "unite the nation from North to South and from East to West".
"There is no leadership and opposition here. We are here to appreciate and accept the debt of Vande Mataram collectively. It is because of this song that we are all here together. It is a sacred occasion for all of us to acknowledge the debt of Vande Mataram. It united the nation from North to South and from East to West. The time has come to unite again and move together with everyone. This song should inspire and energise us to fulfil the dreams of our freedom fighters. We need to reiterate the resolve to make our nation self-reliant and developed by 2047," PM Modi further added.
The BJP-led NDA government has been allotted three hours for its participation in the Lok Sabha debate, while a total of 10 hours has been earmarked for the entire discussion, as the debate will also take place in the upper house, the Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday, December 9.
The 6th Session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th Session of the Rajya Sabha commenced on Monday, December 1, marking the beginning of the Winter Session of Parliament. The session will conclude on December 19.