New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) Shiv Sena(UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Tuesday accused the government of politicising ‘Vande Mataram’, asserting that the Treasury Benches were attempting to manipulate the debate for political gain, especially with the West Bengal elections approaching.

In an interview with IANS, Priyanka Chaturvedi stated, “Yesterday, the focus was on ‘Vande Mataram’. Since 2014, we have repeatedly seen misinformation being circulated. Whether it pertains to Vande Mataram or Jana Gana Mana, national anthems and the sentiments of the populace should be honored, not exploited. However, since 2014, we have seen a growing trend of politicisation surrounding these issues.”

She continued, “Even yesterday, members from the Treasury Benches tried to leverage the discussion for their own political advantage, especially with the West Bengal elections in mind. They presented historical facts in a skewed manner. It was evident that Vande Mataram was being utilized as a medium for political messaging. The Opposition had the chance to reflect the ruling party's actions, as no amount of falsehoods about freedom fighters can alter the truth.”

On procedural matters in Parliament, Chaturvedi remarked, “At the start of the session, it was declared that parliamentarians could not chant slogans like Vande Mataram or Jai Hind. There’s no act more anti-national than this. Alongside my party leadership, I promptly wrote to the Chairperson requesting the withdrawal of this notification. We were later assured it would be rescinded.”

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, Parliament allocated time for discussions on the national song in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament, designated 10 hours for the discussion, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi kickstarting the debate at noon.

The debate, entitled “Discussion on the 150th Anniversary of National Song Vande Mataram,” is part of the government’s year-long celebration of the iconic poem authored by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. “Many significant and previously unknown facets of Vande Mataram will be unveiled during the debate,” a senior government official stated.

Prime Minister Modi on Monday recalled the Emergency period (1975) while honoring the 150th year of Vande Mataram in Parliament, referring to the patriotic hymn as a beacon of India’s freedom struggle and a symbol of resistance against oppression.

As the Prime Minister entered the Lok Sabha, members of the ruling party chanted Vande Mataram, setting an energetic tone for the historic event.

Modi stressed that the commemoration was not just ceremonial but a moment of contemplation on India’s democratic path. “We are fortunate to witness this moment in this House... On this historic day, we are experiencing a moment that reveals the core of our history,” Modi said, encouraging Parliamentarians to view the discussion as an educational tool for future generations.

He reminded the House of the numerous historical events that had unfolded before them, from the sacrifices of freedom fighters to the challenges faced during the Emergency.

The Prime Minister recalled that the centenary of Vande Mataram coincided with a period when the country was under the Emergency, which ignited protests from the treasury benches: “Shame, shame, shame.”

Modi highlighted how the Constitution was suppressed, and patriots were imprisoned.

He described that era as a “dark calamity” in India’s democratic narrative, contrasting it with the current celebrations of 75 years of the Constitution and 150 years of Vande Mataram.

Modi also tied the commemoration to other significant anniversaries being recognized this year -- the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Patel and Birsa Munda, and the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur.