Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday opened a special discussion in the Lok Sabha to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, calling it an honour for Parliament to reflect on a song that inspired India’s freedom struggle.
Addressing the House, PM Modi said the debate represented a historic moment as lawmakers celebrated the legacy of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who authored the national song. The discussion, part of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, is set to continue across both Houses in the coming days.
The Prime Minister noted that Parliament was witnessing a remarkable chapter in history by marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, especially at a time when the nation had recently observed 75 years of the Constitution.
He also highlighted several major national commemorations this year, including the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Bhagwan Birsa Munda, as well as 350 years of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom.
Parliamentary Schedule and Wider Business
PM Modi formally initiated the debate in the Lok Sabha on December 8. The Congress has nominated Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to speak during the discussion. A parallel debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram is scheduled to begin in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, December 9.
The Lok Sabha is also expected to take up discussions on election reforms on December 9 and 10, while the Rajya Sabha will debate the issue on December 10 and 11.
Elsewhere, parliamentary proceedings saw disruptions, with Opposition members protesting in the Upper House over issues raised during Question Hour. Despite the uproar, the Chairman urged members to allow the minister concerned to answer.
PM Modi Says ‘Vande Mataram is a Powerful Mantra’
On the sixth day of the Winter Session, PM Modi hailed Vande Mataram as a “powerful mantra” that energised and inspired India’s freedom movement, adding that the government aims “to restore its glory for future generations.”
Addressing the Lok Sabha, PM Modi said, “Vande Mataram is a mantra, a slogan which gave energy, inspiration, and showed the path for sacrifice and penance to the freedom movement. It is a matter of pride that we are becoming witnesses to 150 years of Vande Mataram. It is a historic moment.”
He further noted that India is celebrating multiple historic milestones—75 years of the Constitution, the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Patel and Birsa Munda, and the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji.
Reiterating the government’s resolve, he added, “The mantra that energised and inspired India’s freedom movement and showed the path of courage and determination. Remembering that sacred Vande Mataram today is a great privilege for all of us in this House. It is a matter of pride for us that we are witnessing the historic occasion of Vande Mataram completing 150 years. Remembering that sacred Vande Mataram today is a great privilege for all of us in this House.”
PM Modi also reflected on the historical context, recalling that the 100th anniversary of Vande Mataram occurred during the Emergency, which he described as a period when the Constitution was “choked.” He emphasised how millions of Indians had drawn strength from the slogan during the independence movement.
Reflecting on past milestones, he said, “When Vande Mataram completed 50 years, India was under British rule. When Vande Mataram completed 100 years, India was in the clutches of Emergency… At that time, the patriots were imprisoned. When the song that inspired our freedom movement, unfortunately, India was witnessing a black period. 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.”
He criticised the Opposition for not participating in the discussion, asserting that this moment was meant to unite the country.
“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. 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,” said PM Modi.
Asserting that ‘Vande Mataram’ was not just a mantra for political independence, Prime Minister Modi said that it is a modern avatar of our great cultural legacy on the occasion of Vande Mataram completing 150 years.
Parliament Winter Session
The BJP-led NDA government has been allotted three hours to participate in the Lok Sabha debate, within a total timeframe of 10 hours allocated for the discussion across both Houses. The Rajya Sabha debate will take place on Tuesday, December 9.
The sixth session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th session of the Rajya Sabha began on Monday, December 1, marking the start of the Winter Session of Parliament. The session will conclude on December 19.
