PM Modi slams Congress for overruling Mahatma Gandhi's wishes on Vande Matram, cites appeasement politics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of breaking into pieces national song Vande Mataram under the guise of social harmony, and said it was still following the politics of appeasement.

He also targeted former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for agreeing with the suggestion that Vande Mataram could antagonise Muslims.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on Vande Mataram, Modi cited a letter written by Nehru to Subhash Chandra Bose claiming that the background of Vande Mataram could antagonise Muslims. He said the letter was written following a protest by Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Lucknow.

Quoting the letter, Modi said, Nehru had written that he had read the background of the song and it could spark anger amongst Muslims.

Modi said later Congress convened a session in "Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's Bengal" to review the use of Vande Mataram. "But, on October 26, Congress compromised on Vande Mataram. They broke it into pieces under the mask of social harmony, but history is witness ..This was Congress' attempt at politics of appeasement. Under pressure of politics of appeasement, Congress agreed to divide Vande Mataram.. this is the reason Congress also bowed to the demand for partition..," Modi alleged.

The prime minister said history is a testament to the fact that Congress knelt before the Muslim League and did this under pressure. "This is an instance of the politics of appeasement of the Congress. Because it bowed to the division of Vande Mataram, it bowed to the division of India later on. Congress has maintained the same politics of appeasement even today," he asserted amid thumping of desks by treasury benches.

The prime minister recalled that Mahatma Gandhi wrote in 1905 that Vande Mataram has become so popular that it has emerged as national anthem and wondered that why was injustice meted out to it. "If Vande Mataram was so popular, why was injustice meted out to it, why was it betrayed in the last century.What were those forces that were so powerful to overrule the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi on Vande Mataram," he said.

Modi lamented that the Constitution was "throttled" and the nation chained by the Emergency when national song Vande Mataram completed 100 years.

The prime minister also noted that Vande Mataram stood like a rock and inspired unity despite British oppression. "When Vande Mataram completed 100 years, the nation was chained by the Emergency. At that time, the Constitution was throttled and those who lived and died for patriotism were pushed behind bars," he said. "The Emergency was a dark chapter in our history. Now we have the opportunity to restore the greatness of Vande Mataram. And I believe this opportunity should not be allowed to pass," Modi said.

Modi noted that the mantra of Vande Mataram gave power and inspiration to the entire country during freedom struggle. "The mantra 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.

The prime minister recalled that the British were forced to ban Vande Mataram even though they brought in laws to prevent printing and propagation of the poem. "Vande Mataram was written at a time when, after the uprising of 1857, the British government was alarmed and unleashing various forms of oppression. A campaign was underway to push the British national anthem 'God Save the Queen' into every household.

"Through Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay responded to this challenge with great strength and resolve. British divided Bengal in 1905, but Vande Mataram stood like a rock and inspired unity," he said.