New Delhi: The winter session of Parliament on Monday is all set to witness a marked shift in tone as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on Vande Mataram to mark the 150th anniversary of the national song.
The discussion has been scheduled to begin around noon. While the ruling alliance has been allotted three hours for its participation, the overall debate spans at least 8 hours — underscoring its significance ahead of the Upper House discussion slated for Tuesday, sources said. Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to start the discussion in Rajya Sabha.
At the conclusion of the Lok Sabha discussion, Rajnath Singh is also expected to speak.
At the heart of the discussion lies a renewed controversy: PM Modi has accused the Indian National Congress of removing significant verses from “Vande Mataram” in 1937 — a move he described as having “sown the seeds of partition.”
In response, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pushed back, clarifying that the removal was decided by the then Congress Working Committee (CWC), which included icons such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and others. He criticised the PM’s comments as an insult to both the CWC and Rabindranath Tagore.
The debate sees participation not just from government benches but also from opposition — eight Congress MPs are slated to take the floor, including Gaurav Gogoi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda, and others.
Additionally, MPs from other parties will speak. For example, a leader from the ruling alliance reportedly said: “Some people don’t believe in ‘Vande Mataram’, but they believe in Babri Masjid,” in reference to the leadership of a prominent opposition figure.
One opposition MP expressed hope that “the discussion should rise above politics and prioritise the country first,” indicating expectations of a broad-based, meaningful debate.
The debate on “Vande Mataram” comes at a moment when themes of national identity, history, and patriotism are under the spotlight — and its outcome could influence how the song’s legacy is perceived in the national discourse. It also reflects the growing politicisation of historical symbols, as opposed to treating them purely as cultural heritage.
Meanwhile, the special discussion reflects consensus among floor leaders to resume serious legislative work after initial disruptions in the session.
