Celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram: Discussion in Lok Sabha today, PM Modi to start

Today, on the sixth day of the winter session of Parliament, a discussion on the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ will be held in the Lok Sabha. This discussion marks the completion of 150 years of the national song. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off the discussion in the lower house at 12 pm, with a total of 10 hours allocated for the event.

The purpose of this discussion is not only to highlight the historical significance of the song but also to commemorate its contribution to the freedom struggle. Meanwhile, in the upper house, Rajya Sabha, a discussion on the same issue will be held on Tuesday, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah initiating the discussion.

Prominent figures from both the ruling and opposition parties will express their views in the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla-led meeting, with several key faces from both sides participating in today’s discussion. The conclusion of the discussion will feature a speech by Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh.

On the other side, the main opposition party, Congress, will have party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Lok Sabha Deputy Leader of Opposition Gaurav Gogoi, among others, advocating for their party’s stance.

Political analysts suggest that the five main reasons for conducting this discussion in Parliament are: 1. National unity: The government aims to instill a sense of national sentiment and pride in the country through this initiative. 2. Bengal Connection: Since the birth of Vande Mataram took place in Bengal and elections are due there next year, the government seeks to create a positive atmosphere in the state through this emotionally charged issue. 3. Remembering history: The government aims to reiterate the role of this song in the Bengal partition of 1905 and the freedom struggle.

Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the song was first published in the ‘Bangadarshan’ magazine on November 7, 1875, and later became a part of his 1882 novel, ‘Anandamath’. On January 24, 1950, the Indian government officially recognized it as the national anthem.