India’s Parliament is set for a rare and extensive debate as the Lok Sabha takes up a 10-hour special discussion on the 150-year legacy of the national song Vande Mataram. The session, scheduled for Monday, aims to revisit the cultural, historic and political weight of the iconic composition. The government wants to use this milestone to reconnect the youth with the poem that once united the freedom movement.
The debate will open a full day after the song completed 150 years on December 7, marking a moment the Centre wants to project as “a national celebration of heritage and unity.”
PM Modi to Open the Discussion
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the House during the special session. He had recently claimed that past political leadership diluted the poem by removing certain verses. “In 1937, crucial verses of ‘Vande Mataram’, a part of its soul, were severed. ‘Vande Mataram’ was broken, torn into pieces,” he said while reciting all six stanzas.
Modi’s remarks triggered a political storm as he stressed that the complete version carried the full emotional power of the original composition.
Opposition Counters with Tagore’s Letter
The Congress hit back by citing a letter from Rabindranath Tagore to Jawaharlal Nehru. In that letter, Tagore reportedly supported the adoption of only the first two stanzas as the national song. Those two stanzas remain the official version since they are devotional and universal in tone.
The Congress asked the Prime Minister for an apology, accusing him of twisting history for political gains.
Why the Debate Matters Now
The Centre has planned year-long celebrations to mark 150 years of the song, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in the 1870s. The government wants to revive public interest in the poem at a time when political narratives are sharply polarised.
Top ministers, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, are scheduled to speak. The discussion is expected to highlight lesser-known facts about the composition, its role in the freedom struggle, and its impact on national identity.
Political Reactions Ahead of the Winter Session
The Opposition remains divided. While some parties welcome the discussion, others claim the government wants to shift attention from electoral reforms and the ongoing SIR-related political disputes.
A recent parliamentary bulletin on House decorum also reignited tensions. It included a line advising MPs not to raise slogans like “Thanks,” “Jai Hind,” or “Vande Mataram” during proceedings. The Opposition questioned the need for this reminder, calling it contradictory to the government’s push for national-song celebrations.
