Home Minister Amit Shah told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that the division of the song Vande Mataram for what he called “politics of appeasement” contributed to the partition of India. He criticised the Opposition for connecting the discussion on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the national song with the forthcoming West Bengal elections.
Opening the debate, Shah described Vande Mataram as the “mantra” that stirred cultural nationalism during the freedom struggle. He said it “remains as relevant today” and would continue to guide the country towards the goal of Viksit Bharat.
Shah accused the Congress of questioning the need for the debate and alleged that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had “divided” the poem by limiting it to two stanzas. He said, “Some people are saying Vande Mataram is being discussed because elections are coming in West Bengal. They are trying to reduce the importance of Vande Mataram by linking it with Bengal elections.” He urged members to take the message of the song to the nation’s youth, noting that although it was written in Bengal by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, it became a unifying chant across the country. He said people were “beaten and jailed” for reciting it during British rule.
Shah argued that India’s cultural unity shaped its borders and that the song helped reaffirm the idea of the nation as a mother. His remark that “appeasement politics” over the song led to partition prompted strong protests from Opposition benches.
