New Delhi, December 8, 2025 – In a powerful address that resonated through the hallowed halls of the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commemorated the 150th anniversary of “Vande Mataram,” India’s iconic national song, portraying it as an unyielding bulwark against British colonial tyranny. “Vande Mataram stood like a rock and inspired unity despite British oppression,” Modi declared, weaving a narrative of defiance, sacrifice, and enduring national spirit. The debate, part of the Winter Session, not only honored the song’s revolutionary legacy but also served as a clarion call to reclaim its essence in building a self-reliant, developed India by 2047.
Origins in the Shadow of Empire: A Hymn Born of Defiance
Composed by the literary giant Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875, “Vande Mataram” – “I bow to thee, Mother” – emerged from his novel Anandamath amid the smoldering aftermath of the 1857 Revolt. Modi vividly recalled how the British, alarmed by the uprising, tightened their iron-fisted control, even imposing their anthem “God Save the Queen” on Indian households. Against this backdrop, the song personified the motherland as a divine force, igniting a spark of resistance that the colonizers could not extinguish.
The British response was swift and severe: they enacted laws banning the printing and propagation of the poem, meting out punishments to those who dared recite or distribute it. Yet, as Modi emphasized, “The mantra energised and inspired India’s freedom movement and showed the path of courage and determination.” Far from being silenced, “Vande Mataram” became a clandestine current of emotion, binding the nation in secret gatherings and fueling the flames of patriotism.
The Bengal Partition and the Swadeshi Surge: Unity Forged in Protest
A pivotal chapter in the song’s saga unfolded in 1905, when the British partitioned Bengal as a calculated “divide-and-rule” maneuver, targeting the province’s intellectual nerve center to fracture the burgeoning nationalist movement. Modi likened Bengal to the empire’s “laboratory,” where colonial experiments in division were tested. But “Vande Mataram” proved unbreakable. “When they divided Bengal in 1905, Vande Mataram stood like a rock and inspired unity,” the Prime Minister asserted, crediting it with galvanizing the Swadeshi Movement – a wave of boycotts, protests, and self-reliance that echoed across India.
Freedom fighters, from Aurobindo Ghosh to Lala Lajpat Rai, chanted its verses as they faced arrests and exile. Countless martyrs went to the gallows with “Vande Mataram” on their lips, transforming the hymn into a mantra of sacrifice and resilience. As Modi quoted Mahatma Gandhi, the song “connects us,” embodying the shared dream of liberation that propelled the nation toward independence.
Shadows of Compromise: The 1937 Controversy and Seeds of Division
Modi’s address did not shy away from uncomfortable historical footnotes. He spotlighted the 1937 controversy, when the song marked its 50th year amid intensifying colonial pressures. The Muslim League, under Mohammed Ali Jinnah, escalated opposition, with Jinnah himself raising slogans against it. In a pointed critique, Modi accused Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru of capitulating: just five days after Jinnah’s outbursts, Nehru wrote to Subhash Chandra Bose, suggesting an “investigation” into the song’s lyrics, fearing they “might provoke and irritate Muslims.”
“It is unfortunate for the country that Congress compromised on Vande Mataram. They bowed to the Muslim League and decided to fragment Vande Mataram,” Modi lamented, referring to the decision to adopt only an abbreviated version in official contexts. This, he argued, sowed “seeds of partition,” diluting a unifying force for political expediency.
The Emergency’s Dark Eclipse: A Betrayed Centenary
Fast-forward to 1975, when “Vande Mataram” completed a century – a milestone overshadowed by the imposition of Emergency under Indira Gandhi. Modi painted a grim picture: “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.” Labeling it a “dark chapter in our history,” he contrasted the song’s spirit of freedom with the era’s authoritarian clampdown, where dissent was crushed and democratic ideals shackled.
Reclaiming the Legacy: Inspiration for a Viksit Bharat
On this 150th anniversary, Modi’s speech transcended reminiscence, emerging as a blueprint for the future. He invoked the song’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic, where virtual recitations fostered national solidarity, and tied it to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat – a self-reliant India. “Some great people of India dreamed of a free India, and today’s generation dreams of a prosperous India. The inspiration for both is Vande Mataram,” he said, urging the House to ensure its legacy endures.
“We have to make India Aatmanirbhar and Viksit by 2047. Vande Mataram will keep inspiring us, and we must take it forward together,” Modi exhorted. He called on Parliament to “restore the greatness of Vande Mataram,” emphasizing that “this opportunity should not be allowed to pass.” The debate, he hoped, would “inspire and energise” lawmakers, reaffirming the song as the “heartbeat of Bharat.”
As the Lok Sabha resounded with collective recitations, Modi’s words underscored a timeless truth: “Remembering that sacred Vande Mataram today is a great privilege for all of us in this House.” In an age of global flux, “Vande Mataram” remains not just a relic of resistance, but a living pledge to unity, courage, and progress – a rock against any storm that threatens the soul of the nation.
This article is based on reports from the parliamentary proceedings, celebrating a milestone that binds India’s past valor to its future aspirations.
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