Vande Mataram turns 150: Here’s why a new political storm is brewing

Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the famous song 'Vande Mataram' which played a large part in the Indian freedom struggle, the Lok Sabha is getting ready for a special debate on Monday. However, what was supposed to be a moment of reflection has quickly turned into a heated political dispute dividing the BJP and the Congress parties over the historical metamorphosis of the song.

A Song That Shaped India’s Freedom Movement

‘Vande Mataram’ which means “I pay homage to you, Mother” was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875 with a mix of Sanskrit and Bengali. It first showed up in his 1882 novel Anandamath and very soon became the call of the independence movement.

The milestone arrived in 1896 when Rabindranath Tagore sung the song at the Calcutta Indian National Congress session. The very day, ‘Vande Mataram’ was heard from the grounds of protests and marches of freedom, people were united in the struggle for freedom.

After the country was freed, the song was given by the Constituent Assembly “equal honour and status” along with the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, also recognized its historical significance and emotional power.

The New Political Row: What Triggered the Debate?

A few days before the special parliamentary session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a reference to the Congress “deleting crucial stanzas” from the original song at its Faizabad 1937 session, which was a major reason for the current ongoing discussions. According to him, this act “planted the seeds of Partition” and transformed the essence of a song that had once brought the whole nation together.

He expressed:

“Sadly, in 1937, the soul of Vande Mataram was taken away with the removal of significant stanzas. The division of Vande Mataram also planted the seeds of Partition. The present generation should know the reasons why this ‘maha mantra’ of nation building was so mistreated.”

The BJP also referred to a letter written by Jawaharlal Nehru indicating that he feared some parts of the song might “irritate Muslims”, and thus, calling it a “historic blunder”.

Congress Counters: A Sensitive Decision, Not a Divisive One

The Congress vehemently denied the accusations, and at the same time, made use of the documentary evidence from The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. The party mentioned that the decision taken in 1937 was backed by a Working Committee comprising of prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Abul Kalam Azad, Sarojini Naidu, and others.

As per Congress:

Only the first two stanzas of the song most commonly sung and recognized.

In the rest of the verses, there were religious images that some of the citizens opposed.

The decision was taken in the interest of national unity, not divisiveness.

The same position was again clarified in a 1939 Congress resolution, drafted by Mahatma Gandhi. It was declared that the national song would be the universally non-controversial stanzas only, while individuals could choose to stand for it or not outside Congress gatherings. It also advised that the singing of the song be banned at government meetings so as not to cause any discomfort.

150 Years Later: A Celebration or a Controversy?

What could have been a celebration of a song that uplifted a whole generation has now transformed into an extensive discussion concerning history, identity, and political symbolism.

While the Lok Sabha gets ready to take a look back at 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, the country also takes a look back at the very fundamental questions that the song poses:

• How should we look at the past?
• Do cultural symbols have to change?
• And who decides the national identity?

Although the discussion scheduled for Monday may be about a song, the feelings surrounding it show how closely Vande Mataram remains embedded in the Indian collective memory.