THE division of‘Vande Mataram’ song for “politics of appeasement” led to partition of India, Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, as he slammed Opposition for linking the debate on 150 years of the national song with the upcomingWest Bengal elections. Initiating the debate in the House, Shah said ‘Vande Mataram’ was the “mantra” that awakened India’s cultural nationalism, and remains as relevant today as it was during the freedom struggle.

 

He stressed that the song will remain relevant in the days to come as well, in taking the country towards Viksit Bharat. Shah also attacked Congress for questioning the need for a debate on ‘Vande Mataram’, and accused first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of “dividing” the poem and limiting it to two stanzas. “Yesterday some MPs in the Lok Sabha questioned what is the need to discuss‘Vande Mataram’. The need for discussion...Was as relevant when the song was written, during the freedom movement, today, and will be as relevant in 2047 when Viksit Bharat would be achieved.

 

Some people say,‘Vande Mataram’ is being discussed because elections are coming in Bengal... They are trying to reduce importance of ‘ V a n d e Mataram’ by linking it with Bengal polls,” he said. The Home Minister urged members to take the spirit of the message of ‘Vande Mataram’ to the youth of the nation. He said the song was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in Bengal, but it spread across the nation, and became the chant for India’s freedom struggle.

 

The Home Minister said the song was written years after India tolerated “Islamic attacks”, and the British tried to impose a new culture on the country. “The song reestablished the culture of witnessing nation as a mother. Even though the (British) Government tried to ban it, and people were beaten and jailed for chanting ‘Vande Mataram’, it touched people’sheartsandspread from Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” he said. That is why Maharshi Aurobindo said ‘Vande Mataram’ is the mantra of India’s awakening. “India is the only nation whose boundaries have not been decided by any act, its borders have been decided by our culture, and culture has united it.

 

That is why the idea of cultural nationalism, this cultural nationalism was  awakened by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay,” Shah added. He also accused the Congress and Nehru of ‘dividing’ the song. “Many members of Congress questioned why the discussion on‘VandeMataram’ was required, callingit a diversionary tactic.We are not scared of taking up any debate.We do not stall Parliament, we have nothing to hide, we are ready to discuss any issue,”Shahsaid