“In 1937, It Was Altered”: PM Modi’s Charge Sparks Fierce Vande Mataram Clash In Parliament

As India marks 150 years of its national song Vande Mataram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lead a landmark 10-hour debate in the Lok Sabha today. The Prime Minister is expected to highlight lesser-known historical facts, especially his allegation that the Congress removed key stanzas of the song in 1937 verses he says honoured Goddess Durga. Modi has accused past Congress leadership of “breaking Vande Mataram into pieces” and questioned, “Why was such injustice done?” The Congress, meanwhile, has lined up Gaurav Gogoi and Priyanka Gandhi to counter the Prime Minister’s charges as the political battle over Vande Mataram intensifies on the floor of Parliament.