New Delhi: The year-long commemoration of “Vande Mataram” kickstarted on Friday with various leaders emphasising how this ‘maha mantra’ of nation building continues to symbolise the emotional consciousness and unity of the country’s people even as the BJP and the Congress accused each other of belittling the national song.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a programme at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here marking the formal launch of the nationwide commemoration. He also released a commemorative stamp and coin on the occasion. Mass recital programmes were held in several parts of the country while many schools organised special events, engaging students in the celebrations.
The song was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterji on the occasion of Akshaya Navami, which fell on November 7 in 1875. The song first appeared in the literary journal “Bangadarshan” as part of Chatterji’s novel “Anandamath”.
The day also saw the BJP accusing the Congress of adopting a truncated version of “Vande Mataram” in 1937 under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru. It alleged that the Congress, pandering to its “communal agenda”, removed the stanzas from the national song which hailed Goddess Durga.
Prime Minister Modi, in his remarks at the event, also attacked the Congress, alleging important stanzas of the national song “Vande Mataram” were dropped which sowed the seeds of partition and asserted that such a “divisive mindset” is still a challenge for the country.
“Vande Mataram became the voice of India’s freedom struggle, it expressed the feelings of every Indian. Unfortunately, in 1937, important stanzas of Vande Mataram...a part of its soul, were separated. The division of Vande Mataram also sowed the seeds of partition. Today’s generation needs to know why this injustice was done with this ‘maha mantra’ of nation building..this divisive mindset is still a challenge for the country,” he said.
The Congress hit back at Modi saying that Rabindranath Tagore himself suggested that the first two stanzas of the song be adopted and it was “shameful” of the prime minister to accuse the Nobel laureate of harbouring a divisive ideology.
It also demanded an apology from Modi over his statement. The Congress claimed it has been the proud flagbearer of “Vande Mataram” whereas the BJP and the RSS “avoided” the national song despite its universal reverence.
In his speech, Modi also said “Vande Mataram” gives us new inspiration and fills people of the country with new energy. “Vande Mataram is a word, a mantra, an energy, a dream, a resolve. It is the devotion to Mother India, the worship of Mother India.”