SP MP Dimple Yadav flags unemployment, economic concerns amid Parliament debate on Vande Mataram

Speaking to the press outside Parliament, Yadav said the context in which Vande Mataram is being invoked today differs significantly from the era of the freedom struggle it once fuelled. "Today, the circumstances are very different. Today, there is a lot of unemployment in the country. Our currency is falling, and the monopoly is rising. The government should work on these. If the government respects Vande Mataram, then they should work for the people of every class," she said.

She stressed that the Constituent Assembly had accepted the song as a reflection of India's collective emotion and national identity. She insisted it should not become a tool for political polarisation. "There shouldn't be politics on this. The division politics that the BJP always does shouldn't be done here," she added.

Inside the House, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also launched a pointed attack on the ruling BJP, accusing it of attempting to "claim everything as their own" for political mileage. He said Vande Mataram belonged to the people and the freedom movement, not to any single political party. Remembering Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, he noted how the song "awakened millions" and became a rallying cry during the struggle against British rule, gaining further prominence after Rabindranath Tagore's public rendition at the Kolkata Congress session.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Vande Mataram as a "powerful mantra" that guided India's fight for independence. Addressing the Lok Sabha, he described it as a source of "energy, inspiration, sacrifice and penance," adding that the government aims to "restore its glory for future generations."

The Winter Session, which began on December 1, is scheduled to run until December 19, with both Houses marking multiple historic milestones alongside the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. (ANI)