NEW DELHI: Accusing Congress of portraying ‘Vande Mataram‘ as “communalist” on account of its own appeasement politics – which made it see the national song through the lens of MA Jinnah – defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday urged parliamentarians across party lines to restore its glory by adding a new fundamental duty in the Constitution that mandates according the same respect to ‘Vande Mataram’ as is given to the national anthem.“My request to all members is that we all come together and consider whether we can add a new fundamental duty under Article 51A of the Constitution – that all citizens shall accord the same respect to ‘Vande Mataram’ as we accord to the national anthem. If we do this, it will be a perfect tribute to ‘Vande Mataram’, its author, and Bengal’s great nationalist thinker Bankim Chandra Chatterjee,” Singh said while participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on the 150th anniversary of the national song.
Singh said that after Independence, it was decided that the national anthem and the national song would be given equal status, but only the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana‘ became an integral part of the country’s consciousness, while the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was treated like an “extra”.“On the very soil where ‘Vande Mataram’ was composed, the Congress took the decision to truncate the song in 1937. Every generation must know about the political deceit and injustice done to ‘Vande Mataram’. This injustice was not only to a song but to the people of independent India and the freedom fighters who fought for freedom with chants of ‘Vande Mataram’,” he said.‘Vande Mataram’ is complete in itself, yet attempts were made to make it incomplete. “However, it has remained the immortal song of our nation, and it will remain so,” he added.Singh emphasised that future generations must understand the mentality of those who undermined the song, calling it an injustice to India’s cultural and national identity.Earlier, LS Speaker Om Birla described ‘Vande Mataram’ as a reflection of India’s harmony and strength. In his opening remarks, Birla said that as the country commemorates the 150-year glorious journey of ‘Vande Mataram’, it remains etched in the heart of every Indian even today. Former Union minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur said, “Vande Mataram’ is not just a song; it is a ‘Maha Mantra’. It is neither a religious song nor a party, nor individual, song. ‘Vande Mataram’ represents national pride and Indian culture.”
