New Delhi/Amaravati, Dec 8 (IANS) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Byreddy Shabari on Monday took a dig at Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and his sister — Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra — for their absence during the debate on 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ in the Lower House of the Parliament.

Participating in the debate, Byreddy Shabari remarked that “foreign DNA” may be resisting some leaders from participating in such an important debate.

“It is said go to motherland, raise to nation. I don’t know why but few people from the country and few leaders sitting here can’t go to the motherland. May be perhaps their foreign DNA that is resisting them from not even coming to the session today, not even participating in such an important discussion,” she said without naming the top Congress leaders.

The MP from Nandyal stated that Vande Mataram was written on the auspicious day of Akshaya Navami and from then on it has become the eternal song of our country. “This is the song that represents courage and hope. The song that represents countless memories of Indian’ collective consciousness,” she said.

She said it was 1896 when Rabindranath Tagore sang this song in the Congress session and in 1905, thousands of people marched during partition of Bengal with the slogan of Vande Mataram. This was the time when it entered India’s political bloodstream.

She said the contributions made by the great people should not be forgotten.

“One such was Bhikaji Cama who unfurled Tricolour which had Vande Mataram written on it abroad. Madan Lal Dhingra walked towards gallows and the last word he uttered was Vande Mataram. It was not out of fear but out of immense devotion. Savarkar when he was put to ‘Kala pani’, the only word he uttered was Vande Mataram.”

The TDP MP said Peddakarayapalli, a small village in Andhra Pradesh, was first village to attain Swaraj and it shook the British Empire. Vande Mataram not only inspired freedom movement but also shaped the freedom movement, fused political awakening and strength.

“We all read history from our childhood. I am sure everyone is aware of Warren Hastings. I would like to quote saying of his to George Colebrook in Gleig’s Memoirs Vol. I. that soon there is going to be destruction by Sadhus and Sanyasis and freely wandering fakirs and those people who has infested annually empires and provinces. Look at the word he has used. He used the word our sadhus infest the empire and soon this was forgotten. Our sadhus were compared to looters and robbers but this was again remembered after birth of Anandamath. Yet we speak Warren Hastings but sadhus who resisted empires. This was Macaulay effect our Hon’ble Prime Minister was talking about,” she said.

She remarked that Macaulay mindset removed greatest people from history.

“One such was Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy who belongs to Koilakuntla which comes in my constituency. I am proud to say that my mother was born in Koilakuntla. My grandfather and great grandfather were elected representatives of Koilakuntla. My forefathers participated in the freedom struggle,” she said.

The MP said that the contributions of Pingali Venkayya, who was from Andhra Pradesh and who designed national flag, were removed from history. She said only after the Prime Minister’s announcement of Azadi ka Amrit Mahaotsav, all these people were again remembered and now “we see patriotism filled in the bloodstream of our youngsters and they are walking towards Viksit Bharat”.

Byreddi Shabari said people sing Vande Mataram with great pride and zeal irrespective of religion, caste, creed and sex.

She questioned the silence of West Bengal over removal of divine words from Vande Mataram.

“I don’t know why the state where the song was composed, the state where it was war cry and entered patriotic and political bloodstream, the state that claims to be Durga Maa’s motherland and the state where Durga Puja is performed never questioned Congress for removing great divine words such as Durga Vani Kamala from Vande Mataram. Everyone knows who has done did it in 1937. We all have list of leaders belonging to Nehruji’s Cabinet who objected to Vande Mataram.”

She pointed out that former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam sang the song with great pride and said do not look it at as a religious song but as an inspirational song which every Hindu and Muslim should sing with great pride.

“Our music maestro A.R. Rahman in his album Maa Tujhe Salam has sung Vande Mataram and created ripples in the entire nation.”

She said Dr. Rajendra Prasad (India’s first President) mentioned that the national song Vande Mataram should be equally honoured with national anthem.

“Every Hindu and Muslim of our country appreciated this statement. I appreciate and thankful to our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram and this journey not only reflects our country, but it reflects the courage of our forefathers, sacrifices of our villages and also voice of millions of our country. This is not just musical note or lyrics. It’s about power it has got which fills every Indian soul with patriotism,” she added.

–IANS

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