"National song not given equal space, marginalised": Rajnath Singh slams Congress in Parliament

Addressing the Lok Sabha during the discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, Rajnath Singh said that the National Anthem found a place in the national consciousness, but the National Song was "marginalised."

He said, "Today, it has to be accepted that the justice that should have been done to Vande Mataram did not happen. National Anthem and National Song were to be given an equal place, but one found a place in the national consciousness, while the other was marginalised. It was treated like an extra. In 1937, Congress decided to fragment on the same land where Vande Mataram was composed. This was not an injustice to a song, but to the people of independent India."

Further, the Defence Minister emphasised that Vande Mataram will remain the "immortal song of national sentiment."

"Trying to confine it within limits was a huge deception. Restoring the glory of Vande Mataram is the need of the hour and also a demand of morality. Vande Mataram is complete in itself, but there were attempts to make it incomplete. Vande Mataram has been an immortal song of national sentiment, and I emphasise that it will always remain so. No power in the world can reduce it. The injustice to Vande Mataram was not an isolated incident, but a beginning to the appeasement politics by Congress," Union Minister Singh said .

Acknowledging the contribution of the national song in India's freedom struggle, he said that the British government issued a circular against it, but people did not stop saying 'Vande Mataram'.

Rajnath Singh lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating a discussion on the national song.

He said, "PM Modi cited facts and gave an inspiring start to the discussion. Vande Mataram is connected to India's past, present and future. It gave the strength to our freedom fighters to fight against the British rule. This was the song that awakened our nation, which had been sleeping for ages. The song, which crossed the English Channel and reached the British Parliament. Bamkim Babu said that one day, the countrymen will understand the significance of the song. That moment came during the agitation against the partition of Bengal. Sri Aurobindo rightly said, 'The matra had been given, and in a single day, whole people have been converted to the religion of patriotism. The British government was so afraid of Vande Mataram that they issued a circular against it, but they could not stop the people from saying 'Vande Mataram'."

"Vande Mataram was not mere words but emotions, poem, pulse and a philosophy. Not just in India, but it worked as mantra for Indians living outside as well. In 1912, when Gopal Krishna Gokhale arrived in South Africa, he was welcomed with slogans of Vande Mataram. Shahid Bhagat Singh and Shahid Chandrashekhar Azad's letters began with Vande Mataram, while it was also the last words of Madanlal Dhingra. It is not just a song but the essence of nationalism," Singh added.

Earlier today, PM Modi criticised Rahul Gandhi for his absence during discussions in Parliament, asserting that the Congress compromised on the national song and "surrendered before the Muslim League".

Addressing the Lok Sabha on the sixth day of the Winter Session, PM Modi said, "Serious discussion is going on in Parliament, but LoP Rahul Gandhi is not present in the House. First Nehru, now Rahul Gandhi, has shown disregard for Vande Mataram."

The Prime Minister accused the Congress of insulting the national song and surrendering before the Muslim League, stating, "Congress still insults Vande Mataram. Congress compromised on Vande Mataram and surrendered before the Muslim League. Nehru did a 'tukde-tukde' of Vande Mataram."

A total of 10 hours has been earmarked for the entire discussion in Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, where the debate will take place on Tuesday, December 9.

The 6th Session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th Session of the Rajya Sabha commenced on Monday, December 1, marking the beginning of the Winter Session of Parliament. The session will conclude on December 19. (ANI)