In an obvious reference to Congress, which was leading the freedom struggle movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mentioned that important stanzas of “Vande Mataram” were tampered with in the year 1937, affecting the soul of India’s national song.
“In 1937, significant verses of Vande Mataram — its very soul — were separated. The song was fragmented. The division of stanzas sowed the seeds of the country’s partition,” Modi stated after inaugurating the year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram to mark 150 years of the national song.
The Prime Minister questioned why such injustice was done to this great national mantra and stressed that today’s generation must understand this history. He warned that the same divisive mindset continues to pose a challenge to the nation even today. On the occasion, Modi also released a commemorative stamp and coin on the occasion in the national Capital. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief Minister of Delhi, and Rekha Gupta were present among other dignitaries at the event.
Addressing another critical aspect related to the Vande Mataram song, emphasising its importance, the PM noted that the spirit of Vande Mataram had illuminated the entire nation during the freedom struggle. Emphasising that we as Indians must make this century the century of India, Modi cautioned that on this journey, we will encounter those who seek to mislead us and those with negative mindsets who attempt to sow doubt and hesitation.
“At such moments, the nation should recall the episode from Anandamath, where Bhavanand sings Vande Mataram and another character questions what one person alone can achieve. The inspiration from Vande Mataram then arises-how can a mother with crores of children and crores of hands ever be powerless?,” The PM touched the emotional chord drawn from the moments of the freedom struggle.
Before posing a question, Modi said Bharat Mata has 140 crores children and 280 crores hands, with over 60 per cent of them being youth, so nothing should be truly impossible for us today. “What could possibly stop us from fulfilling the original dream of Vande Mataram? India possesses the world’s largest demographic advantage, which is the strength of our nation,” Modi stated.
Describing the collective singing of Vande Mataram as a truly sublime experience, beyond the bounds of expression, Modi noted that amidst so many voices, there emerged a singular rhythm, a unified tone, a shared thrill, and a seamless flow.
Recalling Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s words that Bankimchandra’s Anandamath is not merely a novel — it is a dream of a free India, the PM emphasised the profound significance of Vande Mataram in Anandamath, noting that every line, every word, and every emotion in Bankim Babu’s composition carries deep meaning.
The Prime Minister stated that during the colonial era, the British sought to justify their rule by portraying India as inferior and backward. He emphasised that the very first line of Vande Mataram powerfully dismantled this false propaganda. Therefore, Vande Mataram was not merely a song of freedom — it also presented to millions of Indians a vision of what a free India could be: the dream of a Sujalam Sufalam Bharat.
Infusing the huge audience with the fresh energy of nationalism, Modi remarked that this day offers an opportunity to understand the extraordinary journey and impact of Vande Mataram. “When Bankim Babu published Vande Mataram in Bangadarshan in 1875, some believed it was just a song. But soon, Vande Mataram became the voice of India’s freedom struggle-a chant on the lips of every revolutionary, an expression of every Indian’s emotions,” Modi shared some historical aspects and also mentioned how in 1896, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram at the Calcutta Session.
PM said in 1905, when Bengal was partitioned by the British to divide the nation-Vande Mataram stood like a rock against those designs. The Prime Minister recalled that during the protests against the partition of Bengal, the streets echoed with one unified voice - Vande Mataram.
Recalling that even when bullets were fired at protestors during the Barisal session, the words on their lips remained — Vande Mataram, Modi highlighted that freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar, working from abroad, greeted each other with Vande Mataram. Many revolutionaries, even while standing at the gallows, uttered Vande Mataram.
PM also highlighted that when India becomes the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon, when the echo of New India reaches the farthest corners of space, every citizen proudly proclaims - Vande Mataram!
