PM Modi hails Vande Mataram's legacy: 'It energised our freedom movement, united the nation'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described Vande Mataram as a national "mantra" that fuelled India's freedom struggle, saying the 150th anniversary of the song was a moment to restore pride in a legacy that united generations of Indians. Opening the debate in the Lok Sabha, he said the milestone offered the country an opportunity to reflect on the values that shaped its path to independence.

"Vande Mataram is a mantra, a slogan which gave energy, inspiration, and showed the path for sacrifice and penance to the freedom movement. Vande Mataram energised our freedom movement. It is a matter of pride that we are becoming witnesses to 150 years of Vande Mataram. It is a historic moment," Modi told the House. 

He noted the significance of the occasion at a time when India is marking several major anniversaries. "We recently celebrated 75 years of our Constitution. The country is celebrating the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Patel and Birsa Munda. We are also celebrating the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur ji. Now we are celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram."

'An opportunity to reinstate pride'

The prime minister also drew attention to how earlier commemorations of the song were overshadowed by turbulence. "When Vande Mataram completed 50 years, India was under British rule. When Vande Mataram completed 100 years, India was in the clutches of the Emergency. At that time, the patriots were imprisoned. When the song that inspired our freedom movement, unfortunately, India was witnessing a black period," he said.

Modi added that the current moment allowed India to reclaim a part of its national spirit. "150 years of Vande Mataram is an opportunity to reinstate that pride and that great part of our past. This song inspired us to attain freedom in 1947."

'It united the nation from North to South and East to West'

Emphasising that the anniversary transcended party lines, Modi told MPs, "There is no leadership and opposition here. We are here to appreciate and accept the debt of Vande Mataram collectively. It is because of this song that we are all here together. It is a sacred occasion for all of us to acknowledge the debt of Vande Mataram. It united the nation from North to South and from East to West."

He said the legacy of the song must push India towards future goals. "The time has come to unite again and move together with everyone. This song should inspire and energise us to fulfil the dreams of our freedom fighters. We need to reiterate the resolve to make our nation self-reliant and developed by 2047."

The Lok Sabha debate comes a month after PM Modi launched year-long celebrations to commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterjee. The government has said the initiative aims to deepen awareness among youth about the song's historical significance.

Home Minister Amit Shah will lead the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will participate in the Lok Sabha debate.

The Prime Minister has previously criticised the Congress for removing certain stanzas from the song in 1937, saying it sowed "seeds of partition."