Rahul’s Four-Word Reply Stirs ‘Vande Mataram’ Row
Congress, BJP clash in Parliament as national song completes 150 years
- Rahul Gandhi responds to debate with “Priyanka ka bhashan suno”
- PM Modi accuses Congress of dividing Vande Mataram in 1937
- Congress cites Tagore’s advice, demands apology from BJP
- Row escalates amid decorum advisory and heated historical claims
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th Dec: A fresh political flashpoint erupted in Parliament on Monday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responded to the ongoing debate on Vande Mataram with a brief four-word remark: “Priyanka ka bhashan suno.” His comment came as the Lok Sabha marked 150 years of the national song.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the discussion, accusing the Congress of dropping key stanzas of Vande Mataram during its 1937 Faizabad session — a move he said “sowed the seeds of Partition” and “dissected the national song.” He highlighted its role in the freedom struggle, calling it a “sacred war cry.”
The Congress countered, arguing that the decision was taken on the advice of Rabindranath Tagore to accommodate members of other faiths. The party demanded an apology from the BJP and accused it of “insulting” both the 1937 Congress Working Committee and Tagore.
The row comes amid a recent advisory from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat asking MPs to refrain from using expressions like Vande Mataram and Jai Hind inside the House to maintain decorum — a move the Opposition claims reflects the NDA’s discomfort with symbols of India’s unity.
The debate will continue in the Lok Sabha, with Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi also replying on behalf of the Opposition.
