"Historic day": UP Minister Danish Azad Ansari hails assembly debate on 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 23 : Uttar Pradesh Minister Danish Azad Ansari on Monday stated that the discussion on the "150 years of Vande Mataram" in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly marked a historical day for the House.
"Today is a historic day for the House. A discussion is taking place on Vande Mataram, which has a very significant history in our country's freedom struggle...Today, a very meaningful discussion on it has taken place in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. This in itself is a very historic day," Danish Azad Ansari said.
Earlier today, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that chanting Vande Mataram is like chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jay' while affirming that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the country is moving forward and expressed confidence that in the coming times, everyone, be it "from the Hindu or Muslim community, will raise the slogan of Vande Mataram".
"Reciting 'Vande Mataram' is like saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. Every patriot feels especially energised by raising this slogan. Under PM Modi's leadership, the country is moving forward. We are confident that in the coming times, everyone, be it Hindus or Muslims, will raise the slogan of Vande Mataram," Maurya told ANI.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak participated in the special discussion marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Participating in the debate, Pathak strongly criticised the Samajwadi Party, accusing it of practising appeasement politics and distancing itself from national values.
Meanwhile, the 150th anniversary of India's National Song, Vande Mataram, was observed on November 7 this year. Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, 'Vande Mataram' was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875.
Later, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee incorporated the hymn into his immortal novel 'Anandamath', published in 1882. It was set to music by Rabindranath Tagore. It has become an integral part of the nation's civilisational, political and cultural consciousness.