Bharat Mata ki Jay..!  Bharat Mata ki Jay..!

National President of Bhartiya Janata Party and the great son of this land Shri Rajnath Singh Ji, Our senior leader and mentor Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi Ji, President of Uttar Pradesh BJP Shri Laxmikant Bajpai Ji, Shri Kalraj Ji, respected Shri Kalyan Singh Ji, Shri Om Prakash Singh Ji, Shri Amitbhai Shah, Shri Rameshwar Chaurasia, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat, Shri Lalji Tondon Ji, Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi Ji, Shri Ramapati Ji, Shri Surya Pratap Ji, all the senior leaders of BJP present on the dias and all the people who have come here from every corner of Kashi, I bow down to this huge audience and greet you all..!

I have come from the land of Somnath to take blessings of Baba Vishwanath. Friends, in our country it is happening for the first time that such excitement is observed just before the elections. Political parties become more active before elections, blame games take place, there are efforts to increase the voter base, all this is normal, but this is for the first time when the people from every corner of the country are getting eager and aggressive to deroot the Delhi Government..! I can see that the 2014 elections will not to be fought by any party, 2014 elections will not be leaded by any individual, but 2014 elections will be contested by people of this country, by every voter of the nation..!

Friends, whenever India will be discussed or have been discussed in past, the discussion is incomplete without discussion of river Ganga. For others, Ganga can just be a river, but for us, Ganga is not just a river but it is like our mother..! Ganga is not just a stream of water; it is a stream of our culture..! Friends, a lot many schemes have been formulated for cleaning Ganga, huge budgets have been spent, so many committees have been constituted, but it can’t be understood that is the money also being flushed down Ganga..? Forget about cleaning the Ganga, at least through all these budgets, through these schemes, the continuous degradation in the river could have been prevented..! But this did not happen. UPA Government with all the enthusiasm and zeal prepared a plan for cleaning the Ganga and highly publicized it, and even people started feeling that something would happen, people believed and brought them in power, but my friends from Uttar Pradesh, from this holy land of Mother Ganga I would say this to all my countrymen that UPA Government did nothing except three meetings in these five years..! I request the Government of Delhi, I request Hon. Prime Minister to give a detailed account to the people of nation that what have they done for cleaning of river Ganga..? They have asked for votes in the name of Ganga since the time of Rajeev Gandhi, they have tried to reposition them in front of the nation in the name of purification of Ganga, thousands of crores of public money has been taken for this purpose, now people of this country are asking for answers that what have you done for the purification of Ganga, when did you do anything for this purpose, how did you do it, and people of country also want to know for whom did you do it..!

Friends, I want to know this from people of the country, especially from people of UP, that the way in which they have been fooled in the name of Ganga, they have been kept in dark, and the way they have been cheated, should such people get a chance to form the government again who have sinned even in the holy name of Ganga..? Tell me loudly, those who have messed up and ruined Ganga even more, should they be allowed to come in government again..? Can we hand over the nation to them..? The people who can’t take care of Ganga, how will they take care of the nation..! Friends, do not faultier to think that the residents of the areas where Ganga flows from are the reason of its pollution. Friends, before cleaning of Ganga, Delhi needs to be cleaned, Lucknow needs to be cleaned, then only Ganga can be purified..! With these people in power Ganga can never be depolluted..!

These days people ask me a question, especially people who are trying to save Congress, so that Congress remains in power by any means and their businesses keep running..! Such protectors of Congress ask me a question that Modi Ji, tell us what will you do..? Congress did ruin the nation, it destroyed the nation, but what are you going to do..?we don’t just speak,we believe in delivering..! Those who have this question in their minds and those who ask us that what can we do, I request them all to spare just one day and come to Gujarat, to Ahmadabad, and stand on the banks of Sabarmati. Ten years back, Sabarmati had turned into a dirty drain. The river Sabarmati whose name was associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the song, “Sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal…”, everywhere Sabarmati was talked, it was associated with the freedom struggle, that river had turned into just a dirty drain..! Go there today and see, that Sabarmati with the waters of Narmada is flowing abundantly right in the center of city. Friends, do you believe that if Sabarmati can be purified, Ganga can also be..? If Sabarmati can change the life of Gujarat, can’t Ganga change the life of India..?

Friends, we do not engage in hollow promises. Friends, I have come here to make you believe that we are not here with promises but with intentions..! The country is fed up of promises, we have heard enough of lectures as well, now it is the time to bring reality to the lands of our nation, and that is why I am saying that we are not here with promises but with intentions, and we have the potential to realize our intentions..! Friends, a few people think that Uttar Pradesh is important in national politics because without Uttar Pradesh a government can’t be formed by any party. Friends, this type of thinking is an insult to UP..! Is Uttar Pradesh is meant to just increase the number of MPs..? Is Uttar Pradesh only important to form governments..? Friends, my thinking is not that shallow..! It is not a question of the government, if India wants stability, it can only be provided by Uttar Pradesh. If we need to develop India, then without developing UP, growth of India is not possible. If unemployment is to be eliminated from India then without eliminating it from UP, we can’t get rid of it. If India is starving then till the time people at the banks of Ganga and Yamuna feed, hunger of India can’t be quenched..! Uttar Pradesh should not just be associated with the number of MPs. Uttar Pradesh can be turned into the fortune maker of India, it can become a heritage of prosperous India, it can evolve as a powerful engine for taking the country to new heights..! Thus, for Bharatiya Janata Party, Uttar Pradesh is not just a political playing field, for us Uttar Pradesh is the most fertile land for the good of India..!

Friends, I have full faith in the power of the people of UP. People of this land only, your own ancestors realized the idea of Ram Rajya! If the people were not good, if the public was flawed, if they did not have potential then this land would never have had Ram Rajya. Friends, the kind of strength, traditions and culture that are needed for creation of Ram Rajya, it is all there in every citizen of Uttar Pradesh. When you have that rich heritage then why is this stage..? This problem is there because you did not choose the right party; you have not got the right leader. The day you will choose the right leader, you will vote for the right government to come, that day this power of people can play a vital role in taking the nation ahead, and I have full faith in that..!

Friends, Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji gave the slogan of - ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ during his reign, and the farmers of this country made the granaries of nation overflow with grains. The same land, same farmers, very same traditions, but on the call of right leadership, they overflowed the granaries of nation. Friends, Uttar Pradesh alone can feed the entire Europe, it has that strength..! But such governments have come in power, country is being operated in such manner that the state which has the potential to feed entire Europe, unfortunately is not able to feed itself, what can be a greater misfortune..! When a farmer grows paddy working day and night, he has in his mind that the grain grown by his effort will feed a hungry person, will change the lives of poor and he will get blessings. It is not only about money, but he has in his heart that not only humans but even any animals or birds should not starve and that is why he works so hard. But when the farmer who has worked so hard, listens on television or reads in the newspaper that the crop that he put in so much effort for, is getting spoiled on the railway platforms in the rains, then it is not only monetary loss but he also gets hurt. Friends, when farmer produces grains, he does not get satisfied just by money he gets, he gets satisfied when he gets to know that the grain that he produces with all his hard labour is being used to feed hungry men..! These sentiments of the farmers are not being understood by the Government of Delhi, people who calculate profit and losses on paper, are not being able to understand the feelings of the farmers and thus the crop is getting spoiled in the rains. The Supreme Court of India orders that these grains should be distributed amongst the poor..! The Delhi Government refuses to distribute it amongst poor, even after the orders of Supreme Court and sells the grains to the distilleries at the rate of 80 paisa..! Won’t the farmer of my country feel hurt by such actions..? I am amazed that there can be such rulers in a nation who can sell the labour of farmers for manufacturing liquor..! This is an insult of the farmers, of the sons of soil, and it is also an insult of all the underprivileged people of our country..!

Friends, as the election starts approaching, these people start chanting. There are some students who remember God many times when exams start, they worship the lord that I have an exam, may be God blesses me. When they sit in the examination hall, there also they first remember God at least ten times and then will see the paper. In the same way, the Congress party starts praying to the poor when elections approach, and think that this will take them across the tides of election..! Friends, if they had slightest of love or respect for the poor, if they had even a little understanding of their pain, then after so many years of independence and after 45 years of dynastic rule, the poor would not be suffering this much. If anyone is culprit for poverty, it is just this one family. One family has ruined the poor of this country and it is evident in their mentality..!

Friends, to understand what poverty is, we do not have to go somewhere and see, because we have spent our childhood in poverty. I am seriously shocked to see that how much hatred these people have for the poor people..! A leader of UPA says for me, that I am a tea vendor..! Now you people tell me, is it a crime to earn living by working hard and selling tea..? Is it a blot to stand by working hard honestly..? I am surprised that the people who talk of poor men, are saying publically that how can a tea vendor become Prime Minister..? If the people of the country bless, then an ordinary farm labour can also become Prime Minister, a person who polishes shoes on the footpath, can also become Prime Minister. But I can say this to you on our own values, that selling tea to me is acceptable but selling the nation, it is not..! They make fun of the poor in such manners, beside this, one of their leaders say that there exists nothing like poverty, poverty is just a state of mind..! When there is no food to eat for dinner and your children cry of hunger for whole nights, then one gets to know what poverty is..! What do they know what poverty is..? Small kids have to work to feed their parents, but these people are making fun of the poor..!

Friends, this is arrogance, and those people who think poor people to be in their pockets, they can’t do any good of the poor. So I want to say this to all the under privileged people today that the people who have exploited you till date, must be rooted out..! Just now Rajnath Ji was sharing his anguish that Congress said that the BJP people are burglars..! These people say what not and if all their words are collected at a place and published, then we all will be shocked that is this their culture, such is their language..? I want to say to the leaders of Congress, that you say we are burglars, we accept your charge. Yes we are thieves, we have stolen; we have stolen Congress’s peaceful sleep, their bliss …! We have picked up the gauntlet with the resolution that now we will not let Congress, the looters of the nation since independence, to be at peace..!

Friends, I want to ask every elderly person present here, that do you want to pass on to your children the India where you have lived in so much of hardships..? Do you want to force your children to live in dearth..? Do you want to force them to remain unemployed..? Do you want to see your children living in the slums of the urban areas, away from home..? No..!

Friends, two days ago, I received a letter from a Muslim gentleman, in it he has written that Modi Ji, you are coming to Banaras, please mention our problem there that we live in a small Muslim dwelling, where there are small power loom factories making sarees and they operate all night long, because of its noise we are not able to sleep and face many problems because of it. Please find a solution for it. That person expressed his anguish..! Friends, the sarees of Banaras not only protect the dignity of women, but they have the potential to save the economic dignity of this nation..! Such a huge industry, the industry that had the potential to employ lakhs of people, has been ruined. I would like to inform the friend who has expressed his anguish through that letter to me, that there is a way out. Well, our Surat has a very old connection with Kashi. There is a proverb that says ‘Kashi ka Maran aur Surat ka Jaman’, which means that dying in Kashi and eating in Surat, they have a different importance altogether. At both Surat and Kashi, there is a huge power loom industry. There was a time when, in the early morning or in the evening if you move out then there was very loud noise of power looms, the sound of power loom used to be louder than sound of your scooter. But Friends, in last ten years, we worked on a drive and with the help of the government and banks we arranged financial aid and upgraded the entire power loom sector technologically, built huge industrial complexes outside the city. Friends, there are now machines available in the market which make practically no noise, and government provided financial aid through banks for them, and today because of technical upgradation, we have been able to make better quality and quantity of cloth and provide a peaceful life to the people of Surat and this can be done in Varanasi as well. Those people who keep on asking me about my vision, this is a reality, go and check it..!

Friends, if there would have been good intentions, and Banarasi saree industry would have been upgraded, its importance would have been raised through modern technology, then today in India, just in Banarasi saree industry lakhs of youngsters would have got employment, there would not have been any need for them to move anywhere out..! But the policies of Indian Government are such that they import yarn from China, but they are not bothered about the livelihood of saree makers of Banaras and because of that such crises emerge..!

Friends, there will not be a single village in this Purvanchal, from where there is not a person who is working in my Gujarat. You only tell me, why was there a need that they had to leave their hometowns, their parents and go to Gujarat..? If UP was developed, then he would not have had to leave his village, his farms, his friends and family..! Friends, today because of unemployment, the youth of country feels darkness in his life. He is worried that where should he go, who will hold his hands, who will save him..! Friends, you tell me, whenever there is an advertisement for a government job, the first thing that crosses our mind is that somebody’s recommendation would be needed, do you feel so or not..? Do you search for a recommendation first of all or not..? Do you think that there is any guarantee of getting a job without any recommendation or without spending money..? This foul practice is prevailing or not..? Can there be any solution to this or not..? I have the solution. The protectors of Congress who ask me for my vision, I will tell them what my vision is..!

Friends, once in Gujarat, we had to recruit 13,000 teachers. Now for recruitment of teachers, getting 1-2 lakh applications is very common, so we gave advertisement and asked them all to register online. After that we selected the top 13,000 applicants who had highest marks. We neither took any interview from them, nor did we call them, just passed the order and recruited them directly..! The poor widow mother got the letter of her son’s appointment..! References work in interviews, if people are selected directly based on the merit, then this corruption and this entire game of recommendations will end and actually deserving candidates will get the jobs..! I have conducted a pilot project in Gujarat and have been successful, no one has raised any question on it, and everyone says that it is the right way. I believe that no matter how educated a person is, he can’t just succeed based on certificates, so he starts looking for references..!

Friends, our youngsters want dignity, they want to get rid of living like beggars. The youth of my nation can change the fate of India, the government of our country needs to have confidence in the youth and we have come with that faith. I want to say to the youth of nation that there are still lot many opportunities in this country, the country even today is in need of manpower. Whether it is agriculture, service, manufacturing, or any other sector, this country has the potential to make nation an economic superpower with the power of youth. My young friends, this is why I have come with a guarantee of your future..! If there is no guarantee of the future of the youth of the nation, then there is no guarantee of the future of the nation itself. The future of India lies in the hands of the youth. Today the youth needs opportunity, and BJP has come with a resolution of giving them opportunities..!

Friends, people are working to take Congress out of power and bring BJP to power again; this is a proof that we have stood the test of people. Friends, I am going to various parts of UP, and seeing the huge masses everywhere I can say confidently that the people of country are desperate to overthrow the Delhi Government. The people of nation are not ready to bear the Delhi Government even for a moment now. Friends, to change the destiny of India, it is essential to build a congress free India..! Only Congress free India is the guarantee of poverty free India, of unemployment free India. So for freedom from poverty, from unemployment, from starvation, from corruption, we will have to free India from the hands of Congress and we have to move ahead with this dream. With all these good wishes, I am highly thankful to you all..!

Raise your hands, and say along me, with all your strength so that the voice echoes in Delhi…

Bharat Mata Ki Jai..!  Bharat Mata Ki Jai..!

Vande Mataram..!  Vande Mataram..!  Vande Mataram..!

 

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શ્રી રામ જન્મભૂમિ મંદિર ધ્વજારોહણ ઉત્સવ દરમિયાન પ્રધાનમંત્રીના સંબોધનનો મૂળપાઠ

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'Vande Mataram' rekindled an idea deeply rooted in India for thousands of years: PM Modi in Lok Sabha
December 08, 2025
Vande Mataram energised our freedom movement: PM
It is a matter of pride for all of us that we are witnessing 150 years of Vande Mataram: PM
Vande Mataram is the force that drives us to achieve the dreams our freedom fighters envisioned: PM
Vande Mataram rekindled an idea deeply rooted in India for thousands of years: PM
Vande Mataram also contained the cultural energy of thousands of years, it also had the fervor for freedom and the vision of an independent India: PM
The deep connection of Vande Mataram with the people reflects the journey of our freedom movement: PM
Vande Mataram gave strength and direction to our freedom movement: PM
Vande Mataram was the all-encompassing mantra that inspired freedom, sacrifice, strength, purity, dedication, and resilience: PM

Honourable Speaker Sir,

I express my heartfelt gratitude to you and to all the distinguished Members of this House for choosing the path of a collective discussion on this significant occasion. To recall with reverence that mantra, that clarion call, which infused the nation’s freedom movement with energy, inspiration, and the spirit of sacrifice and austerity- to commemorate Vande Mataram within this House is a matter of immense privilege for all of us. It is a matter of great pride that we stand witness to the historic occasion marking 150 years of Vande Mataram. This period brings before us countless events from the expanse of history. This discussion will certainly reflect the commitment of this House, but if we collectively utilise this moment well, it may also serve as a source of learning for the generations to come, for every successive generation.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

This is a period in which many inspiring chapters of history have once again come alive before us. Only recently we celebrated, with great pride, 75 years of our Constitution. Today, the nation is also celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Bhagwan Birsa Munda, and we have just commemorated the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Today, we stand here attempting to experience the collective energy of this House on the occasion of 150 years of Vande Mataram. The journey of these 150 years has passed through many phases.

But, Honourable Speaker Sir,

When Vande Mataram completed 50 years, the country was compelled to live under the shackles of slavery. When it completed 100 years, the nation was trapped in the shackles of the Emergency. At the time when the centenary of Vande Mataram should have been celebrated as a grand occasion, the throat of the Constitution of India was being strangled. When Vande Mataram turned 100, those who lived and died for patriotism were thrown behind prison bars. The very song that had infused the nation with the energy to fight for freedom — when it reached its centenary, a dark chapter unfolded in our history. We were trapped in (unclear).

Honourable Speaker Sir,

The 150th year gives us the opportunity to re-establish the greatness of that chapter, that glory, and I believe that neither this House nor the nation should let such an opportunity pass. It is Vande Mataram that ultimately led the country to freedom in 1947.The emotional leadership of the freedom struggle was embodied in the triumphant chant of ‘Vande Mataram’.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

As I stand before you today to initiate this discussion on the occasion of Vande Mataram 150, there is no ruling side or opposition here, because for all of us seated here, this is truly an occasion to acknowledge a profound debt. It is because of Vande Mataram that determined individuals fought the freedom movement, and its outcome is that today we are all seated here. Therefore, for all Members of Parliament and for all public representatives, this is a sacred moment to acknowledge the debt we owe to Vande Mataram. And drawing inspiration from it, we must once again revive the spirit through which Vande Mataram united the nation’s freedom struggle- North, South, East, and West- the entire country marched forward with one voice. Once again, the moment calls upon us to walk together, to carry the nation with us. The dreams cherished by the passionate freedom fighters- Vande Mataram 150 must become our inspiration, our energy, compelling us to make Bharat self-reliant, and to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. This occasion of Vande Mataram gives us a great opportunity to reiterate that pledge.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

Dada, are you feeling well? No, no, at times such things happen at this age.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

The journey of Vande Mataram began when Bankim Chandra Ji composed it in 1875, at a time when, after the 1857 uprising, the British Empire was deeply shaken. They were exerting various forms of pressure upon Bharat, inflicting countless atrocities, and subjecting the people of this land to coercion. During that time, there was a conspiracy to propagate their national anthem, God Save the Queen, into every household in Bharat. It was in such a time that Bankim Da rose to the challenge, responding with strength greater than what he was confronted with, and Vande Mataram was born. A few years later, in 1882, when he wrote Anandamath, he incorporated this song into it.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

Vande Mataram revived that idea which had been embedded in the veins of Bharat for thousands of years. He gifted us that same feeling, that same set of values, that same culture and tradition, through profound and elevated words. Vande Mataram was not merely a mantra for political freedom- not merely a call for the departure of the British so that we could stand independently upon our own path. It inspired far beyond that. The freedom struggle itself was a sacred mission to liberate this motherland. It was a holy battle to free Mother Bharati from her chains. And when we examine the cultural foundation of Vande Mataram, its lineage of values traces back to the Vedic age. When we utter Vande Mataram, the thought that arises is the same as that from the Vedic period: “माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः”- “The earth is my mother, and I am her son.”

Honourable Speaker Sir,

This is the very sentiment that even Lord Shri Ram expressed when he rejected the splendour of Lanka, proclaiming, “जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी”- “The mother and the motherland are greater even than heaven.” Vande Mataram is the modern embodiment of this sublime cultural tradition.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

When Bankim Da composed Vande Mataram, it naturally became the voice of the freedom movement. From East to West, North to South, Vande Mataram became the resolve of every Indian. In praise of Vande Mataram, these lines were written:

“मातृभूमि स्वतंत्रता की वेदिका पर मोदमय, मातृभूमि स्वतंत्रता की वेदिका पर मोदमय, स्वार्थ का बलिदान है, ये शब्द हैं वंदेमातरम, है सजीवन मंत्र भी, यह विश्व विजयी मंत्र भी, शक्ति का आह्वान है, यह शब्द वंदे मातरम। उष्ण शोणित से लिखो, वक्‍तस्‍थलि को चीरकर वीर का अभिमान है, यह शब्द वंदे मातरम।”

(On the altar of the motherland’s freedom, there is joyous sacrifice of self-interest- these are the words Vande Mataram.
This is a life-giving mantra, a world-conquering mantra; it is an invocation of strength- these words Vande Mataram.
Write with warm blood, tear open the chest- this is the pride of the brave- these words Vande Mataram.)

Honourable Speaker Sir,

A few days ago, when the Vande Mataram 150 celebrations began, I had said at that event that Vande Mataram symbolised thousands of years of cultural energy. It embodied the spirit of freedom as well as the vision of a free Bharat. During the British period, it had become fashionable to portray Bharat as weak, useless, lazy, and indolent- to demean Bharat in every possible way. Those who had been shaped under that British influence also adopted that same language. To shake the nation free of that inferiority complex and to reveal Bharat's strength, Bankim Da, through his powerful hymn, wrote:

“त्वं हि दुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी, कमला कमलदलविहारिणी, वाणी विद्यादायिनी। नमामि त्वां नमामि कमलाम्, अमलाम् अतुलां सुजलां सुफलां मातरम्॥ वन्दे मातरम्॥”

Meaning that Maa Bharati is the goddess of knowledge and prosperity, and also the fierce warrior Durga, who stands with her weapons before her enemies.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

These words, this emotion, this inspiration uplifted the Indians who were sinking into despair under colonial rule. These lines made crores of countrymen realise that this battle was not for a piece of land, not merely for a seat of power, but for liberating the nation from the shackles of slavery and for giving rebirth to its ancient traditions, its great culture, and its glorious history.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

The deep connection of Vande Mataram with the masses is expressed through the long saga of our freedom struggle.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

Whenever a river is spoken of- whether the Sindhu, Saraswati, Kaveri, Godavari, Ganga or Yamuna- alongside it also flows a cultural stream, a developmental journey, a chronicle of human life. But has anyone ever thought that every phase of Bharat's freedom struggle flowed through the emotions of Vande Mataram? It blossomed along its banks. Such a poetic sentiment may scarcely be found anywhere else in the world.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

The British understood that after 1857 it would be difficult for them to remain in Bharat for long. They realised that unless they divided Bharat, unless they fragmented its people and made them fight amongst themselves, their rule could not survive. They adopted the policy of “divide and rule”, making Bengal their laboratory, for they too knew that Bengal’s intellectual strength once provided direction, power, and inspiration to the entire nation. Hence the British wished to weaken that strength, believing that if Bengal were divided, the entire country would fall apart, and they would rule as long as they wanted to. In 1905, they partitioned Bengal. But when they committed that sin in 1905, Vande Mataram stood firm like a rock. It became the voice of every street, every corner, echoing for the unity of Bengal. That slogan became the people’s inspiration. With Bengal’s partition, the British intensified their efforts to weaken Bharat further, but Vande Mataram, as one voice and one thread, became an ever-growing challenge for them and a rock of strength for the nation.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

The partition of Bengal did indeed take place, yet an immense Swadeshi movement rose in its wake, and at that time Vande Mataram resounded everywhere. The British had realised that something extraordinary had emerged from the soil of Bengal- this emotional mantra of Bankim Da… ...All right, thank you, thank you, thank you, I respect your sentiments. Bankim Babu… Bankim Babu- thank you, Dada, thank you. May I call you Dada? Otherwise you may object to that as well. The emotional universe that Bankim Babu had created through this stirring hymn shook the British to their core. And look at the extent of their weakness, and the strength of this song - the British were compelled to impose a legal ban upon it. One could be punished for singing it, punished for printing it, and not only that, even uttering the words Vande Mataram invited punishment. Such harsh laws were enforced. Hundreds of women led the freedom movement of our nation, and countless women contributed with great determination. I wish to recall one incident. In Barisal, the gravest atrocities were committed for singing Vande Mataram. That Barisal is no longer a part of Bharat today. At that time, our mothers, sisters, and children of Barisal took to the streets; they stepped onto the battlefield for the honour of Vande Mataram, in defiance of this ban. And then emerged this valiant woman of Barisal- Smt Sarojini Ghosh. Behold the spirit of that era- she had declared that until the ban on Vande Mataram was lifted, she would remove the bangles she wore. In Bharat, in those days, removing one’s bangles was considered a momentous act in a woman’s life. Yet, for her, Vande Mataram was an emotion above all else. She removed her gold bangles and vowed that until the ban on Vande Mataram was withdrawn, she would not adorn them again. Such was the great vow she undertook. The little children of our country were not left behind either. They were flogged; at such tender ages they were thrown into prison. And in those days, especially in the lanes of Bengal, morning processions chanting Vande Mataram would take place unfailingly. They had become a constant thorn in the side of the British. At that time, a song echoed through Bengal:

“Jaaye jaabe jeebono choley, jaaye jaabe jeebono choley, jogoto maajhe tomar kandhe Vande Mataram bole.” (in Bengali)

Meaning: O Mother, if life passes while serving you and chanting Vande Mataram, then even such a life is blessed. This is what the children in the lanes of Bengal were proclaiming. That song was the voice of the courage of those children, and their courage gave strength to the nation. The voice that emerged from the alleys of Bengal became the voice of the entire country. In 1905, in a village in Haritpur, very young children were shouting the slogan Vande Mataram when the British mercilessly flogged them. They were forced to fight a battle between life and death itself. Such was the brutality inflicted upon them. In 1906, similar atrocities were committed by the British upon the children of Neel City High School in Nagpur. Their only “crime” had been standing together and raising one united cry: Vande Mataram. Through their strength, they sought to demonstrate the sacred power of this mantra. Our brave revolutionaries embraced the gallows without fear, and until their final breath, their resounding proclamation remained: Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram. Khudiram Bose, Madan Lal Dhingra, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Roshan Singh, Rajendranath Lahiri, Ramkrishna Biswas- countless others embraced the noose while chanting Vande Mataram. This happened in different jails, in different regions. The faces of the persecutors differed, the people being tortured differed, their languages differed — but the mantra of 'Ek Bharat Sreshtha Bharat', was the same for all: Vande Mataram. The youth of Chittagong who challenged the British in the Swadeshi revolution are also radiant names in our history. Hargopal Kaul, Pulin Bikash Ghosh, and Tripura Sen — all sacrificed themselves for the nation. When Master Surya Sen was hanged in 1934, he wrote a letter to his comrades, and that letter echoed with only one word- Vande Mataram.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

We Indians should be proud. In the history of the world, there can be no poem, no inspirational song that can motivate millions of people for centuries toward one single goal, that can inspire them to dedicate their lives. There can be no such emotional song anywhere in the world except Vande Mataram. The whole world should know that even during the era of slavery, such extraordinary people were born in our country who could create a song of this nature. This is a wonder for the world. We should say this with pride, and then the world will also begin to honour it. It was the mantra of our freedom, the mantra of sacrifice, the mantra of energy, the mantra of purity, the mantra of dedication, the mantra of renunciation and penance, the mantra that gave the strength to endure hardships and that mantra was Vande Mataram. And that is why Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore had written: एक कार्ये सोंपियाछि सहस्र जीवन—वन्दे मातरम् (in Bengali), meaning “Thousands of hearts bound in a single thread, thousands of lives dedicated to one mission: Vande Mataram”. This is what Rabindranath Tagore wrote.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

During the same period, recordings of Vande Mataram reached different parts of the world. London had become a kind of sacred land for revolutionaries, and in that London India House, Veer Savarkar sang Vande Mataram, and the song echoed there time and again. It was a great source of inspiration for those ready to live and die for the nation. At that time, Bipin Chandra Pal and Maharshi Aurobindo Ghosh started a newspaper and they named it Vande Mataram. In fact, Vande Mataram was enough to disturb the sleep of the British at every step, and that is why they chose this name. When the British banned newspapers, Madam Bhikaji Cama started a newspaper in Paris and named it Vande Mataram.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

Vande Mataram also showed Bharat the path of self-reliance. At that time, from matchboxes to large ships, a tradition began of writing Vande Mataram on them. It became a means of challenging foreign companies, a mantra of Swadeshi. The mantra of freedom began expanding like the mantra of Swadeshi.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

I would also like to mention another incident. In 1907, when V. O. Chidambaram Pillai built a Swadeshi company’s ship, Vande Mataram was written on it. The national poet Subramania Bharati translated Vande Mataram into Tamil and composed hymns of praise. In many of his Tamil patriotic songs, one can clearly see the devotion towards Vande Mataram. Perhaps people from Tamil Nadu may know this, but others may not. Bharat’s flag song was written by V. Subramania Bharati himself. The description of that flag song was based on the flag on which Vande Mataram was written. The title of this song in Tamil was: Thayin manikodi pareer, thazhndu paninthu Pukazhnthida Vareer! (in Tamil). Meaning “O lovers of the motherland, come, behold, bow in reverence, and praise the divine flag of my mother.”

Honourable Speaker Sir,

Today, I also want to present Mahatma Gandhi’s feelings about Vande Mataram in this House. A weekly newspaper published from South Africa, Indian Opinion, carried what Mahatma Gandhi wrote on 2nd December 1905. I am quoting it. Gandhi wrote: “The song Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra, has become extremely popular throughout Bengal. During the Swadeshi movement, massive gatherings were held in Bengal where hundreds of thousands assembled and sang this song of Bankim.” Gandhiji further writes and this is very important and he wrote this in 1905: “This song has become so popular that it has become like our national anthem. Its emotions are noble and it is sweeter than the songs of other nations. Its sole purpose is to awaken the spirit of patriotism within us. It regards Bharat as a mother and offers praises to her.”

Speaker Sir,

The Vande Mataram that Mahatma Gandhi viewed as a national anthem in 1905 and the song that lived in every corner of the country, in the life of every person who lived and breathed for the nation held enormous power for all who awakened for the cause of Bharat. Vande Mataram was so great, its spirit so noble, then why was such grave injustice done to it in the last century? Why was there betrayal against Vande Mataram? Why did this injustice happen? What was that force whose will became more powerful than even the sentiments of revered Bapu himself? Who dragged such a sacred emotion as Vande Mataram into controversy? I believe that as we celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram today, it is our responsibility to tell our new generations about the circumstances that led to this betrayal. The Muslim League’s politics of opposition to Vande Mataram was intensifying. On 15th October 1937, Muhammad Ali Jinnah raised a strong slogan against Vande Mataram from Lucknow. The then Congress President Jawaharlal Nehru saw his political ground shaking. Instead of strongly countering the baseless statements of the Muslim League, condemning them, and expressing his and the Congress Party’s loyalty to Vande Mataram, the opposite happened. Why he acted so is neither asked nor known, but he began scrutinising Vande Mataram itself. Five days after Jinnah’s opposition, Nehru wrote a letter to Netaji Subhas Bose on 20th October. Echoing Jinnah’s sentiment, he agreed in that letter that the Anandamath background of Vande Mataram might irritate Muslims. I will read Nehru ji’s quote. Nehru ji says: “I have studied the background of the song Vande Mataram.” Nehru ji then writes: “I feel that Muslims may be provoked because of this background.”

Friends,

Following this, a statement came from the Congress that the Congress Working Committee would meet in Kolkata from 26th October onward to review the use of Vande Mataram. Bankim Babu’s Bengal, Bankim Babu’s Calcutta was chosen for this review. The whole country was shocked, the whole nation astonished. Across the country, patriots organized morning marches, singing Vande Mataram in protest. But unfortunately, on 26th October, the Congress compromised on Vande Mataram. They decided to break Vande Mataram into parts. They wore the mask, the robe of “social harmony” behind this decision, but history stands witness that Congress kneeled before the Muslim League. Congress accepted this under the pressure of the Muslim League. It was a way to pursue their politics of appeasement.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

Congress bowed for dividing Vande Mataram under the pressure of appeasement politics. That is why Congress had to bow for the partition of Bharat. It seems Congress outsourced its decision-making. Unfortunately, Congress’ policies remain the same. And not only this the INC has gradually turned into an MMC. Even today, Congress and its allies, all those associated with Congress, still try to create controversy around Vande Mataram.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

The character of any nation is revealed not in its best times, but in times of challenge and crisis. True strength is tested only when the test comes how firm, powerful, and capable we are. After independence in 1947, the country’s challenges changed, the priorities changed, but the nation’s character and resilience remained the same, drawing inspiration from the same spirit. Whenever Bharat faced crises, the country always moved forward with the spirit of Vande Mataram. Let it be whatever may have happened in the middle years. But even today, on 15th August and 26th January, or during “Har Ghar Tiranga,” that same emotion is visible everywhere. Tricolours wave proudly. There was a time when the country faced a food crisis and it was the spirit of Vande Mataram that filled our granaries through the efforts of our farmers. When attempts were made to crush Bharat’s freedom, when the Constitution itself was attacked, when Emergency was imposed, it was the strength of Vande Mataram that made the nation rise and defeat it. Whenever wars were imposed on the country, whenever we were pushed into conflict, it was the spirit of Vande Mataram that made our soldiers stand firm at the borders, waving the flag of Maa Bharati in victory. When a global crisis like Corona struck, it was with the same spirit that the nation stood together, overcame it, and moved ahead.

Honourable Speaker Sir,

This is the strength of the nation, a powerful current of energy that connects the nation with deep emotion. It is a stream of consciousness, a reflection of our unbroken cultural flow, its expression. Vande Mataram is not merely something for us to remember; it should become a time for drawing new energy, new inspiration, and dedicating ourselves to it. As I said earlier, we are indebted to Vande Mataram. It is Vande Mataram that created the path on which we have reached where we stand today and therefore, we owe it a debt. Bharat has the strength to overcome every challenge and this strength comes from the spirit of Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram is not just a song or an inspirational hymn; it is a force that awakens us to our duties towards the nation. This is why we must continue to embrace it. We are moving forward with the dream of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (a self-reliant India), and we must fulfil it. Vande Mataram is our inspiration. We want to strengthen the Swadeshi movement. Times may have changed, forms may have changed, but the spirit expressed by revered Gandhi still exists today, and Vande Mataram continues to unite us. The dream of our great leaders was an independent Bharat; the dream of today’s generation is a prosperous Bharat. The spirit of Vande Bharat nurtured the dream of an independent Bharat; the spirit of Vande Mataram will nurture the dream of a prosperous Bharat. It is with these emotions that we must move forward. We must build ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. By 2047, the country must become ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). If 50 years before independence someone could dream of a free Bharat, then 25 years before 2047, we too can dream of a prosperous, ‘Viksit Bharat’ and we can dedicate ourselves to realizing this dream. With this mantra and resolve, may Vande Mataram continue to inspire us. Let us acknowledge our debt to Vande Mataram. Let us carry its spirit forward, take along the people of the nation, walk together, and fulfil this dream. With this thought, this discussion begins today. I am confident that this will become a reason to ignite that spirit within the country, to inspire the nation, to energize our new generation in both Houses of Parliament. With these words, I express my deep gratitude to you for giving me this opportunity. Thank you very much!

Vande Mataram!

Vande Mataram!

Vande Mataram!