New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS) As Parliament will hold a special discussion on Monday to mark the 150th anniversary of the patriotic song ‘Vande Mataram’, Bihar Minister and party’s state President Dilip Jaiswal said the Congress was showing its true colours by ignoring the national interest.

The discussion comes at a time when the song’s historical, cultural, and patriotic significance is under the spotlight, with ruling party leaders accusing the Opposition of divisive posturing.

Speaking to IANS, Dilip Jaiswal remarked, “Those who want to divide the country — Congress and its INDIA bloc groups — have shown their true colours. You might have seen a young Congress member raising slogans like our country will be divided…”

Echoing this sentiment, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “The country is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the song Vande Mataram on 8th December, as decided by the Business Advisory Committee. In this context, discussions on the occasion are scheduled in the Lok Sabha today and will continue in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the debate in Lok Sabha, aiming to highlight many lesser-known facets of Vande Mataram.

PM Modi is expected to focus on the song’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle, its historical significance, and its relevance today. Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Vande Mataram was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875.

The Prime Minister’s comments are particularly awaited by Opposition members.

Last month, during an event commemorating the song’s anniversary, he accused the Congress of “removing important stanzas” from the original composition during the party’s 1937 session in Faizabad, claiming the decision “sowed the seeds of Partition” and dissected the national song. The Congress, however, argued that the changes were made on Rabindranath Tagore’s advice to accommodate members from different communities.

The Rajya Sabha discussion on Vande Mataram is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, likely initiated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In Lok Sabha, the ruling NDA has been allotted three hours out of the total 10 hours reserved for the debate, underscoring the significance the government attaches to this patriotic discourse.

–IANS

rs/dpb