Watch: Vande Mataram debate has no link to Bengal polls, says Amit Shah | India News
Image Source: Internet
**Revised Title:** Amit Shah Debunks Bengal Poll Link, Hails Vande Mataram as Unifying Force **Revised Article:** Union Home Minister Amit Shah has dismissed claims that the debate on 150 years of the national song, Vande Mataram, is linked to the upcoming West Bengal elections. Shah, who initiated a special debate on the national song in the Rajya Sabha, argued that Vande Mataram has transcended borders and become a symbol of India's freedom struggle. Shah claimed that when Vande Mataram turned 50, it was reduced to two stanzas, paving the way for appeasement politics and the country's Partition. He alleged that some Opposition lawmakers showed disrespect by walking out of the House to avoid participating in the national song discussion. Shah lashed out at the Opposition, particularly the Congress, for insinuating that the discussion was a means of deflecting attention from issues and initiated with an eye on the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal. He said that when Vande Mataram completed 50 years, Jawaharlal Nehru split it into two parts, and when it turned 100, Emergency was imposed by the then Indira Gandhi-led Congress government. Shah submitted a letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman listing instances of "unacceptable conduct" toward the Vande Mataram allegedly by Opposition lawmakers. The list includes nine incidents from 2018 to 2025 involving members from various political parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), National Conference (JKNC), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Shah emphasized that Vande Mataram was not limited to Bengal or the country and has been a symbol of India's freedom struggle. He recalled the sentiment that was prevalent when it was composed, saying that the writer captured India's ancient civilization, cultural nationalism, and the tradition of envisioning the nation as the mother in the song. Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan said Vande Mataram was composed at a time when "our motherland" was under colonial rule. "This timeless composition soon became the collective heartbeat of millions yearning to breathe free...For countless freedom fighters, Vande Mataram was not merely a song, it was the final chant from their hearts as they walked fearlessly towards the gallows, their souls illuminated with the dream of an independent Bharat where every citizen could live with dignity and pride." The debate on Vande Mataram is a significant one, with the national song being an integral part of India's freedom struggle. Shah's emphasis on the national song's unifying force and its significance in India's history is a testament to its enduring impact on the nation.
