Parliament Winter Session: PM Modi to lead historic Vande Mataram debate in Lok Sabha today

In recent weeks, the Prime Minister has also criticised the Congress, alleging that the party removed crucial stanzas of the song in 1937, which he said “sowed the seeds of partition”.

Parliament is set for an extended and politically charged discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to open a special debate in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The 10-hour discussion is expected to highlight lesser-known historical aspects of the national song, as well as its evolution from a literary work to a rallying cry during India’s freedom movement.

The debate is part of a year-long nationwide commemoration of Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875. The celebrations were formally launched by PM Modi last month, with a focus on educating youth about the song’s cultural and political significance.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will speak after the Prime Minister, while at least eight Congress MPs, including Gaurav Gogoi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will also participate. In the Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Amit Shah will kick off a parallel debate on Tuesday.

Vande Mataram has long been intertwined with India’s nationalist history. It was first used as a political slogan in 1905 during the anti-partition agitation in Bengal, becoming a unifying chant for the Swadeshi movement and later for freedom fighters across the country. After Independence, the Constituent Assembly adopted it as the national song on January 24, 1950.

The song has, however, remained a point of political contention. In recent weeks, PM Modi has criticised the Congress over its 1937 decision to recite only the first two stanzas—an interpretation party leaders of the time said kept the song inclusive, as later verses reference Hindu deities. Modi alleged the omission “sowed the seeds of partition”, prompting sharp rebuttals from Congress leaders. Jairam Ramesh said the decision was taken by a Working Committee that included Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose and other stalwarts.

The Winter Session, which began on December 1, has already seen disruptions over electoral roll revisions, with the opposition demanding a separate debate on the issue. Parliament will take up election reforms later this week in both Houses.