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Shri Narendra Modi's speech at Sadbhavana Mission at Godhra

Published By : Admin | January 20, 2012 | 20:11 IST

Place: Godhra

Bharat Mata ki Jai! All those who are present on the stage - the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr. RC Faldu ji, fellow Cabinet of Ministers, Members of Parliament, Officer Bearers of the Party, Tehsil Panchayat and Zila Parishad, all the members of the Municipal Council and all my dear brothers and sisters of Panchmahal district who have gathered here since morning in thousands! I wanted to give this speech in Gujarati. But since morning; in fact since last night itself, our friends from the media have requested otherwise.. Hence, since I promised them that I’d take care of the situation; they needn’t worry and since they have made this request to me, I have agreed to talk to you in Hindi. My brothers and sisters of Panchmahal District, it’s not difficult for us to understand Hindi. Hence, I am convinced that the message that I want to give you will certainly reach you.

Brothers and sisters, one thing is certain that today the identity of Gujarat in the whole country is very clear to the whole world. The country and the world don’t have any confusion about it. All over India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Gujarat is being discussed in one voice. And that voice, that expression, that faith is that of development. Everywhere, there is no dispute about the issue of the development of Gujarat.Gujarat’s claims about the issues related to development have been proven correct on the ground. Gujarat has never claimed about anything more than that. And brothers and sisters, for the first time, in our country, the issue of development is in the centre of discussion. Whether one doesn’t accept this or not; everyone may have some reason for that, everyone may have some compulsions, everyone may have their own agendas, but it may be possible that they don’t have the capacity to accept this truth today.But people will have to accept that it is the 6 crores of people of Gujarat who have forced all the governments of Indian states to discuss the issue of development.There used to be elections even earlier. But earlier, when there used to be elections, they used to be held on the basis of promises. Those who were in power used to make new promises; those who wanted to come in power also used to show new dreams and make new promises to the people.  What was accomplished, how much welfare work was done; no discussion was done on this issue. They used to talk about what they were going to do. Gujarat government has made this environment in the whole country where we will have to give an account of the past work done to the people and the people will elect only these people who are working for the welfare of the people and who have a proven record of working for the people. We have created this situation and we are proud of the fact that we have made development the agenda in India. Everyone has to follow this trend.

Other people have this modus operandi according to which they throw crumbs. If they need 250 votes out of a thousand in order to win election in an area, they take care of only 250 people. They throw some crumbs, make a vote bank of these people and serve their purpose. They are not bothered about what will happen to the remaining 750 people. The entire political game revolves around the equation of vote bank. Development work has also been done only to strengthen their vote bank electorate. If a road has to be constructed, it is constructed only in a village from where they are likely to get votes. Otherwise, the village has to stay without a road for forty years.Everything has been linked to the vote bank and to the election. The result is that the vote bank has flourished, but the country has not flourished.Some handfuls of people have done well, but the common people have not done well. This country has seen this misfortune. Gujarat has given to this country the system where we have finished the politics of throwing crumbs. The activity of serving one’s own interests by enticing and misleading people has been terminated in Gujarat. We have given the priority to the development on ground level.

My old friends from the media who are present here may be aware what the notion of development was earlier. I remember, when I had newly entered political life, famine used to be the common phenomenon in Gujarat. Wherever we toured, people used to come and give us memorandum. They used to give us a letter of demands. And what they used to demand? They used to say that since there was a possibility of famine, there should be relief work in their area too. They should get a job of labourers so that they could survive. They used to have this demand. If a village was more aware, it used to demand that if digging had to take place, then at least the soil should be spread over the footpath in the village, so that they could walk easily to catch the bus. They used to ask for a dirt-track to be built. People didn’t know what development meant. And the governments also regarded building a dirt-track a work of development. The relief-work done during famine and making roads out of that was regarded as great accomplishment. Brothers and sisters, now within last 15 years a great change has taken place. How the situation has changed. Today, people from tribal areas come to meet me. When they come, they say, “Modiji, we want to do some road work.” I tell them that I am touring all the time and I know they have a concrete road in their village. They say that they have a concrete road, but it is good for only single traffic. They want a double-traffic road. In some places they say they have a double-traffic road, but now the times have changed and they want a paved road. Today, the Adivasi farmer from Gujarat demands a paved road;this is the model of development. This is an example of how the development takes place, how it change the conditions.

I had gone to a district in this Sadbhavana mission. There, some people from the Banjara community came to see me. They offered me a plastic toy JCB. I asked them why they had brought it. They said they had brought it after considering thoughtfully. I asked them how. They said they used to keep donkeys earlier and they used to carry soil on donkeys. But after the coming of my government, they don’t keep donkeys now, but they keep JCB. They had come to gift me this symbol of their progress.

Friends, there was a time when the people of Dahod and Godhra used to migrate to the towns immediately after the rains stopped, without waiting for Diwali.In order to ensure that your vehicle stayed fit and you get a proper road to drive on, my tribal brother used to stand in the heat of 45 degrees and work as labours to make tarred road and the rich people of the city used to drive their vehicles on it. Today if you go to Panchmahal, you won’t find a labourer to work on the road. If you ask, he says he is a contractor now. Earlier he used to work as a labourer, but now he takes contracts. If you are willing to give him a contract, he can come. Now the days of manual labour have gone. We have proven the model of development.

There was a time when someone asked for water, there was an arrangement to send a tanker in Gujarat. Common people used to ask for water every year. As soon as January-February came, here would be a scarcity of water and immediately all government officials and political leaders used to plan about sending tankers. Their relatives used to take loans from the banks and buy tankers. They used to get work from the government. Water supply used to be partial. Some tankers used to be bought. But bills used to bepaid for all water and tankers. This was the business going on then. When you gave me the responsibility of this land of Gujarat, there were 4000 villages in Gujarat where water was supplied through tankers. There were about 30% villages in this state, where water was supplied through tankers. And supplying water through tanker meant that there was a big game of corruption being played here. And they were pleased with this. If twice a week water was supplied through tankers, they told the people that the government was working a lot for them. This was their model for development. If someone demanded water more strongly, they would dig hand pump. Their farthest thinking went up to hand pump. Giving water meant installing a hand pump. They didn’t have a map of development in their mind that went beyond hand pump. They had never thought how the people could get drinking water. Even the condition about hand pump was that if its washer stopped working, in a week the hand pump would stop working. Then, it would take 2 years to get the new washer. People could only see this iron stump outside their house.It was a memorial of their governance. This was the model of development. Brothers and sister, today we have arranged to supply water through pipelines. We have supplied water to all the villages of Gujarat, and do you know how bigthe pipeline is? You can drive a Maruti car inside this pipeline. We have supplied water to the villages of Gujarat with pipelines of this size.

You will be surprised to know – I don’t know if ten years ago our friends in the media reported about this –in 2001, in our tribal belt from Umar Village to Ambaji, amongst the tribal households, there were only 4% villages, where water supply came from the tap. Brothers and sisters, we have made efforts in last ten years to eradicate the problems of last fifty years and we have reached the level of providing tap water in 75% households. In coming times, we will be successful in providing tap water to 100% tribal households. This country is not going to be deluded by people who consider hand pump as a symbol of development. We took development to new heights.

There was a time when at Ankleshwar, Vapi and Valsad, some factories were established. And these people were walking around congratulating themselves about Golden Corridor.If some factories were established on the sides of a fifty kms highway, it was called the Golden Corridor and it was regarded as the development of Gujarat. They were celebrating this. How could Gujarat be called an industrialised state just on the strength of some factories on a 50 kms highway? Friends, today, you may go to any district of Gujarat. We have brought some industry to every district. If you come out of Godhra and go till Baroda, the entire route is filled up with industries. No one had thought that industries could come here in every region, in every district here. We have changed the definition of industrial development.

We want to develop all areas and all sections of the society. Earlier our farmer used to cultivate land. Friends, what was the condition of agriculture? He used to wait for the rainfall. If it rained, the crops came up. He could earn his living. Otherwise, for eight months he used to wait for labour opportunities. Water used to flow into the sea, but it could not be used properly.When it rained, the water used to flow away. We made arrangements for rain water harvesting. We gave importance to water. And what is the result today? I challenge my friends from the Congress, if they have love in their hearts for the farmers, if they want to engage in the welfare of Indian villages, then I invite the Central Government in Delhi to take up the challenge. They are not able to develop the agriculture of India beyond 3%. They can’t deny this truth. We have crossed the level of 11% in agricultural development of Gujarat.

Today I was watching the exhibition here. You too may have seen it. I met the farmers of Sangrampur. They said they were growing
Parwal using modern methods. And it is possible for us to earn 2-5-3 lakhs of rupees in an acre of land. I asked them where they were going to sell so many
Parwals. They know everything. They said their
Parwal would go to Bombay and from there to foreign countries. They are working following the ambition that their
Parwal will be sold in the international market. Friends, things can be change. They didn’t know about this kind of development. They were engaged in playing small games. We generated this great situation.

Brothers and sisters, today when people talk about development, they talk about Gujarat. When they talk about Gujarat, they talk about development i.e., these are two sides of the same coin. Gujarat and development; development and Gujarat are being discussed everywhere. And you may be aware, if you have gone to any part of India. If you have gone to Haridwar, Rishikesh or to meet some relative, if you have gone to attend a marriage party or are travelling in train.If you meet a person from outside Gujarat,if he knows that you are from Gujarat, he will immediately hold your hand firmly and will not leave it, because he thinks he can get some new energy by holding your hand. This happens all over the country. No one can deny this. Friends, if because of some political reasons, someone tries to suppress this truth, then we should ask his soul, in the life of every person present here, if you have met a person from another state, you must have had this experience. I can say this with challenge. This has not happened easily. We have worked very hard for this. For ten years, we have strived very hard for development. We have engaged the entire administration for this single purpose. We have strengthened the power of the society.

Brothers and sisters, we have two very clear pictures before us.There are two very clear political cultures before the country. Thiscountry has to decide which political culture is going to bring welfare to the country and which political culture is destroying the country. One political tendency believes in divide and rule. Make as many fragments of the country as possible. Another political culture believes in unity of all and development for all. This mantra has not emerged in a vacuum. It has emerged from hard work. The reason is that the vote bank politics has destroyed the country. Gujarat has shown to the world the strength of peace, unity and brotherhood. Brothers and sisters, different people evaluate in different ways the reasons behind the new heights of development that we have crossed today. Some people feel that the Chief Minister is good, that’s why there is development. Some people feel this government is good, that is why there is development. Some people feel that the administrative machinery is functioning now, that is why there is development. Some people feel that their BDO is good, that is why good works are being done. Some feel their TDO is good that is why good work is being done. Some people feel their village worker is good, that’s why work is being done. All people see different reasons for this. They see reason in their experiences. But brothers and sisters, I can see more than this from where I am sitting. I have more opportunities to see things in larger perspective. And hence, if anyone deserves the credit for making Gujarat reach great heights of development; it is my 6 crore brothers and sisters of Gujarat. This has been made possible because of you. This has happened because of you. What is that force because of which this has happened?

People will say, if not 6 crore, there were about 5 crore people even earlier, so why didn’t it happen earlier? Your question is legitimate. Why didn’t it happen before? Because earlier, all castes used to fight with all other castes regularly.Someone used to talk about segments and beating and killing other communities. Someone else used to bring another kind of politics and wanted to kill another community. Even amongst the Adivasi brothers and sisters, there were segments based on their differences.They used to create dissensions among them. They used to make castes fight against each other. If a farmer grew crops and the crops were ready for harvest and another caste had some animosity against him, they would go and burn the crops in the night. Sometimes the crop was harvested and stored in the fields to be taken to the market the next day. But before that someone else would come and steal the crops in the night. There were conflicts between castes and villages were divided along caste lines. The poison of casteism was destroying us. On the other hand was the poison of communalism. Gujarat was the place for communal riots. Since 1736, this was the norm. Every other year during the Jagannath Chariot festival there were riots. There were riots during Muharram, during Ganesha festival procession, during flying kites, while riding the bicycle if one hit another person. We used to find opportunities to have riots. This had become the norm in the country. And in Gujarat there was always curfew in force. Godhra also has a history. In 1985 there was curfew for 300 days in this Godhra. It is true that for most of this period, setting aside 40-50 days, the curfew was in force in the night. But it’s not a small matter to have curfew for 300 days. There was curfew for 300 days in this town. Riots were the order of the day. Beating, killing, shedding blood, burning someone’s auto rickshaw or someone’s betel leaf shop, using weapon; this is what used to happen in those days. It was the poor man who died. Thereused to be destruction. Gujarat was in such a state, where when a child was born, s/he didn’t know how to pronounce Mummy or papa, but s/he understood the meaning of curfew. S/he knew how to pronounce curfew. A child who is 10 yrs old today doesn’t even know what curfew is.Those days are gone; there was a time when a child didn’t know his/her own uncles, but s/he knew very well the police uncle.This was because outside the society, the residential area, outside the slums, some or other policeman was always standing with a baton in hand. He used to stand there round the ear and the children knew him as police uncle, but they didn’t know their own uncle. We have seen those days.

Ten years have passed. All these things have vanished from Gujarat.The environment created by unity, peace and brotherhood has generated the force for development.The basis for development is our unity, peace and brotherhood.We experience this. Sometimes when our mother cooks a nice meal at home, we enjoy it. But we are not aware what all effort Mother has made to cook this food. In the same way, we are enjoying the fruits of this development, but we have not thought about the depth of force that went in making this development possible.Through my Sadbhavana fast, I have come here to make you realise your own strength. I have chosen this medium of fast so that you show to the world what you have achieved.This is why I have chosen this route of penance. It is not meant to get something. It is not against anyone. Nor do I waste my energy in working against anyone. I have so much work to do for my 6 crores of people, that even six births would be insufficient for that. I don’t want to waste my time against anyone. My time is for you and I want to use it for your welfare; this is my resolve.

I want to tell the world that I have borne stiff opposition and I don’t care whether anyone supports me or not. And I don’t have any complaints about it. Let problems come my way. We are ready to regenerate ourselves from that heat itself. Today people were blessing me profusely. Someone was blessing me for becoming something; someone was blessing me to do something. I said to everyone that if they wanted to bless me, they should not bless me to become something. They should not bless me to do something. They should bless me that no matter how many injustices I face, my tolerance level should not go down.They should give me this blessing and after that the game is in my hands. My tolerance level will rise as injustices on me will grow. I have emerged from purity; I make God my witness while doing any work. That’s why I have got the strength of tolerating injustices by the blessings of my people. I’ll keep on tolerating injustices and will keep on serving Gujarat with truth and honesty.Friends, I know how problematic my government in Gujarat for those who have enjoyed power for 40-50 years and whose flags flies in Delhi. In any case, if a small child has a toy in his hand, a pen in his pen and if you need to write so you take the pen away from the child, you know how much the child screams in the house. Even a small child creates a scene for two days if you take his pen away from his hand. As compared to this, these people have lost everything. That’s why I can understand their problem. You must have seen a squirrel...no, a lizard. If its tail gets dismembered, it keeps on jumping around. It keeps on jumping for a long time. It doesn’t have any chance to get it back, but it keeps on jumping. So, this jumping around is a normal way of life.

Brothers and sisters, about reaching the heights of development,those who like Gujarat say that they want to be like Gujarat and those who don’t like Gujarat, say that in their work they have surpassed Gujarat.If there is an index for comparison, it is Gujarat. If they want to do good work, they want to copy Gujarat and if they have done well, still they compare with Gujarat and say that they have achieved this.But nowadays, whatever happens in Gujarat, something else happens elsewhere.See, the postal department of the Government of India has brought out an envelope today. It is surprising that the postal department of the Government of India should bring out an envelope on the Sadbhavana Mission.  I don’t know what will happen to these officials, because recently, an IT conference was held. It was an All India Conference and a IT official from the Delhi government was present there.And in goodwill, he spoke some nice words about Gujarat that in IT sector Gujarat has done well. As soon as he reached there, he was transferred. He had committed only one mistake that he had praised Gujarat.

Brothers and sisters, today a special envelope has been brought out by the postal department and they have brought it out on Sadbhavana Mission, on the land of Godhra. If there is a message about peace, unity and brotherhood, this is one example of it. See another example. Recently, an election meeting was held in Punjab. Elections are going on in Punjab. In the election meeting of Punjab, the ex-Chief Minister of Congress and who is leading the election process, Captain Amarinder Singh has publicly given a speech, in Punjab elections, in order to seek votes from the people, the Congress leader has said that if people vote for him, he will take Punjab forward like Gujarat. He has said this. This means that even in Punjab they are thinking about working along the lines of Gujarat model. Friends, this is not only a matter of this place. All over India if the Congress leaders have to say anything to the people, they have to refer to Gujarat. So, what to speak of these people and why I should say anything. If I have to say anything, I have to say it only to my 6 crore people of Gujarat that Sadbhavana is the only path that has taken Gujarat forward and it can take other states also forward. They think that if they imitate Modi, they can manage, if they implement some plan of Modi in their own name, they can manage. It’s possible that to some extent they can reform the situation. But if they want to take their states to great heights of development, then I would like to request these honourable people that they should not only imitate the schemes of Gujarat.They should recognise the force of unity, peace and brotherhood that lies behind the 6 crore people of Gujarat. They should understand how Gujarat has librated itself from the poison of casteism. They should understand how communalism has been buried in Gujarat.And having understood all this, if they are willing to use it in their states, then those states can even surpass Gujarat. If they want to do something, they should do this. This is the remedy, which I want to reveal to the country.Because of this, I have begun this endeavour of fast of Sadbhavana.

Brothers and sisters, I am grateful to the media that they have come here. No matter what he show, what they say, but they will have to show this, I can say this with certainty. This is a penance, which no one can deny. Brothers and sisters, nowadays, whatever swear words exist in the dictionary and whatever swear words exist outside the dictionary, all of them are being used on me. They are calling me names with full strength. Psychologists say that after the anger passes, the mind feels relieved. Some people use swear words and feel relieved. Hence, because of  whatever swear words they are using and whatever peace of mind he experiences, this too is an example of my goodwill. And I request them that if they feel a sense of relief by heaping criticisms at me as much as they like, they should without hesitation keep on swearing at me. Because if some good happens to them and their mind feels relaxed, this too is an achievement for my 6 crore Gujaratis.Because I want to see all 6 crore Gujaratis happy. This is my goodwill for them.

Brothers and sisters, I had said it in my first speech that I make staircase with the stones that are thrown at me and I take Gujarat to great heights through that staircase. The country can’t be run by criticising others. And I request my friends from the Congress, or even you can ask them if you get an opportunity, that if they are going after Modi so much, whythey don’t discuss the schemes of the Indian Government; that would be good. Modi is talking about his plans, they should talk about theirs, but they don’t talk about their plans. For example, they may have built a national highway of 50 kms, or built 10 bridges, or they may have built four new railway tracks, or have built two new airports. But they don’t speak because they have not done anything.

They had made one promise that within a hundred days they would bring the inflation rate down. These people had come to you for votes and had said that if you let them form a government in Delhi, they were going to bring the inflation rate down in a hundred days. Please speak loudly, did they say this? Yes. Did they inflation rate come down? No. Did the inflation rate rise? Yes. They should give an answer for this. People are asking them this question. The poor people can’t light the stove in their house.

Recently, the Prime Minister expressed his anguish. He said that the country’s condition because of lack of nutrition is a matter of embarrassment for us. If he had been a professor and given this statement, we could understand. But he is not a professor, he is a Prime Minister. He should not get away by just giving a statement; he should take the responsibility and suggest the solution for this. Friends, I’m surprised. The Prime Minister of India is seated in such a high position. He is a scholarly person and the most part of his life has been associated with the power structure. He is acknowledged as an economist. How is it that in 2012 he came to know that there is problem of nutrition in the country? Brothers and sisters, I want to talk about how Gujarat thinks. In 2001 a Census was conducted. In 2004 its full report came out. When I read the full report in 2004, my attention was drawn towards the aspect of malnutrition. I called a meeting of officials.I said that this report of the Census was worrisome and we should think about it. And you’ll be surprised to know that while the Prime Minister is talking about it in 2012; we began the fight against malnutrition in 2005. We spent a budget of one thousand crores on malnutrition, because poor people’s children should not suffer from malnutrition. If a pregnant woman is malnourished, her child will be born malnourished, handicapped and mentally underdeveloped. This will be a cause of worry for the society. We began this work in 2005. Such a great person didn’t even know about it till 2012; we can imagine what may happen to this country.This is a shameful matter. Malnutrition is a cause for worry. But to get away by just saying that it’s a matter of shame is not the way to run a country. They get votes in the name of the poor. They should think about the poor at least to some extent. They should worry about the poor. But they are not willing to do this.

There is a poor people’s 20-point welfare programme. And every three months the Indian Government makes an analysis of it. And in last 10 years, not a single Congress has been able to come in the first five ranks. These ranks are occupied by either BJP-ruled states or their NDA allies. Hence, the Indian government, instead of improving the performance of its own states, stopped making the survey itself. You can see their love for the poor. They stopped making the survey and bringing out the report, because the BJP-ruled states used to be ahead of them on this 20-points programme and this was a matter of embarrassment for them. Is this the way to uplift the poor? Brothers and sisters, political speeches are alright. During elections someone may engage in it; we have no problem. But one aspect is clear. We have wasted 60 years of this country. Now the people of this country are not ready to wait anymore. Every person wants a change. Every person wants development and change in his/her life. And Gujarat government has tried to bring this change. The country is also waiting for this. The country also wants change. It wants liberation from this serious condition.

Brothers and sisters, pace, unity and brotherhood through Sadbhavana Mission is our strength. We have to keep this strength intact. We have to make this strength grow. We have to embrace each other no matter what paths we follow and we have to follow the path of that idea that India is our Mother, Gujarat is our region and this village is ours. I have begun my journey for this purpose. I have toured more than half the districts of Gujarat, but I never saw this kind of massive human gathering. Friends, I have been travelling through districts for last 25 years. I have seen religious programmes, social programmes and political programmes, but it is a wonder in itself that people should come in lakhs only to meet someone. This is not something that political pundits can understand. They can’t understand what this is about. I can understand what this is about. I can feel what power is driving them. People from every walk of life – today a person came to see me – his child is 3 years old. He said to me that this child had resolved since yesterday to fast unto death. A mere child of 2.5-3 yrs old is fasting at home. Friends, this power can’t be the subject for understanding of any political pundit. Mothers and sisters come here, who are not very educated. But the feeling with which they bless can’t be judged by political index. This is popular feeling associated with penance. This popular feeling has a different force. It’s not possible to understand it from the political perspective. This is the occasion for a social revolution. Gujarat wants to show how powerful we can become be becoming united and the country should understand this.In the family if there is unity, the family progresses. If there is unity in the village, the village progresses forward. If there is unity in the state, the state progresses forward. If there is unity in the country, the country progresses forward. And I said this on the first day that this Sadbhavana Mission has come to kill the vote bank politics. Vote bank politics should b finished in this country. Everyone should be united; everyone’s welfare should be done – this should be the resolve. This country has been destroyed by the business of throwing crumbs for electoral benefits.Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (All together, growth for all), this is the only path for us. Hence, brothers and sisters, come let’s go forward. And for the welfare of the society, for the welfare of all sections of the society – no one should be left out; no one should be left behind. The society can be healthy only when all the sections of the society are powerful. Let’s go forward with this mantra. Today lakhs of people have blessed me. I salute the land of Panchmal. I also greet those who have fasted with me.

Brothers and sisters, when I started, I had said I would fast alone. But in ever district thousands of people are sitting on fast. Small children say that Modiji has not broken his fast and they don’t eat when they go back home.I had some very bad experiences in two or three districts. I request all of you to go home and definitely break your fast this programme ends. My fast will continue till tomorrow morning. That is why I don’t end it here. But in your family children are involved in this fast and you are involved in this fast. My request to you is to go home and end this fast and eat with your family. That will also be a blessing for me. Once again, I am very grateful to you. I have to say one more thing to you. I talk about development and I have come to Panchmahal district. In Panchmahal district, we had made a plan. According to that plan, welfare works worth about 1100 crores are already being implemented in the district. Friends, there was a time the entire budget of the whole state government was not this much. Today, in on district of yours, welfare works worth 1100 crores are being done. They are progressing. Each of these works is progressing to be completed.But today I have come here and I offer at the feet of this Panchmahal district about 1490 crores of rupees i.e., about 1500 crores of rupees. In this 2012 itself, this money will be used for your development, whether it is village development, urban development, water supply or drainage arrangement, for hospitals and schools, making water supply better organised, for all these purposes, I offer 1490 crores or 1500 crores for the development of Panchmahal district. Say loudly because you have got 1500 crores, Hail to the glorious Gujarat! Hail to mother India! Those who want to see me; I’ll be here and will go only after greeting all of you.

 

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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!