Vande Mataram Debate: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Union government, alleging that the sudden push for a parliamentary debate on Vande Mataram was politically motivated. Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session, she said the discussion was timed to influence the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections and distract citizens from pressing national issues.
Participating in the debate marking 150 years of the national song, Priyanka argued that the government had no genuine reason to revisit the subject.
“This debate is unnecessary. Vande Mataram already lives in the hearts of the people. So what is the need for a debate now?” she asked.
‘Govt Trying to Divert Attention from Real Issues’
Priyanka accused the ruling BJP of deliberately shifting focus away from price rise, unemployment, and economic stress.
आज वंदेमातरम् पर बहस इसलिए हो रही है, क्योंकि बंगाल में चुनाव आने वाला है।
— Govind Pratap Singh | GPS (@govindprataps12) December 8, 2025
और हमारे प्रधानमंत्री भूमिका बनाना चाहते हैं।
– प्रियंका गांधी pic.twitter.com/0vkQgxhGv6
“You want us to keep diving into the past because this government does not want to look at the present or the future,” she said, adding that the public deserved answers on real-time governance challenges rather than symbolic discussions.
According to her, the debate was designed not only to influence voters in Bengal but also to revive old political attacks on freedom fighters and past Congress leadership.
‘PM Modi Is Not the Leader He Used to Be’
In her strongest remarks during the session, Priyanka said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s confidence had visibly declined.
“Prime Minister Modi is not the PM he used to be. His self-confidence is decreasing and his policies are weakening the country. My friends in the government are silent because deep inside they also know this,” she remarked.
She also countered the Prime Minister’s criticism of the Congress, stating that Nehru spent nearly as many years in jail as Modi has spent in office.
Historical Chronology of Vande Mataram Presented
Seeking to rebut the government’s charge that the Congress engaged in “appeasement” over the national song, Priyanka laid out a detailed historical timeline:
- 1875: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee composes the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram.1882: The complete song, with additional stanzas, is published in Anand Math.
- 1896: Rabindranath Tagore sings the song at a Congress session for the first time.
She also referenced correspondence between Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose to argue that the Congress had always upheld the song’s significance.
“Questioning the Constituent Assembly’s decision on the national song is equivalent to questioning the founders of our Constitution,” she added.
Calls for Debate on Contemporary Concerns
Priyanka urged the House to move beyond historical disputes.
“Since you keep talking about Nehru, let’s fix a time, debate everything, and close the chapter once and for all. After that, let’s talk about today’s issues—price rise and unemployment,” she said.
Her remarks drew attention to a growing demand among Opposition parties for discussions on economic conditions, job creation, and public welfare instead of symbolic political debates.
Priyanka Gandhi’s intervention in the Lok Sabha brought sharp political undertones to a session meant to mark the anniversary of Vande Mataram. Her allegation that the debate was timed to influence West Bengal elections adds new friction between the Opposition and the government as both sides gear up for a critical electoral year.