New Delhi : Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the year-long celebrations marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, the BJP on Friday accused the Congress of “historically distorting” the national song under former PM Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership. The glorious Vande Mataram became the voice of our nation’s unity and solidarity, celebrating our motherland, instilling nationalistic spirit and fostering patriotism.
The BJP leader also cited a 1937 letter by Nehru to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, in which Nehru reportedly said the background of Vande Mataram was “likely to irritate Muslims”. Kesavan said Nehru’s view amounted to “a historic blunder” that weakened the song’s national symbolism. In a letter dated Sep 1, 1937, Nehru spitefully writes that anybody considering the words in Vande Mataram as anything to do with a Goddess was absurd.
He also derisively opines that Vande Mataram is not suitable as a national song. Netaji Subash Bose had strongly advocated for the full original version of Vande Mataram. On Oct 20, 1937, Nehru wrote to Netaji Bose claiming that the background of Vande Mataram was likely to irritate Muslims,” the spokesperson said. Drawing a parallel with recent remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Kesavan alleged that the “Hindu-virodhi mindset” of Nehru ‘echoes’ in the Leader of Opposition’s statements.
Hitting back at the BJP, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge quipped that those who today claim to be the self-proclaimed guardians of nationalism, have never sung Vande Mataram in their offices. It is deeply ironic that those who today claim to be the self-proclaimed guardians of nationalism – the RSS and the BJP, have never sung Vande Mataram or our National Anthem Jana Gana Mana in their shakhas or offices. Instead, they continue to sing Namaste Sada Vatsale, a song glorifying their organisations, not the nation.
It is a well-known fact that the RSS and Sangh Parivar supported the British against Indians in the National Movement, did not raise the National Flag for 52 years, abused the Constitution of India, burnt effigies of Bapu and Babasaheb Ambedkar, and, in the words of Sardar Patel, were involved in Gandhiji’s assassination, he added.
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