New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) After the first phase of the Bihar elections, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday said the high voter turnout was a clear indication of a decisive victory for the NDA.

Speaking to IANS, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “The bumper voting is a sign of a bumper victory. It clearly reflects the mood of the people. Despite attempts by some parties to discourage voters — sometimes by spreading fabricated stories about EVMs or creating false narratives of vote rigging — the people of Bihar, in the first phase, have demonstrated their passion and commitment to democracy by coming out in large numbers to vote. This is both a lesson and a message for those who tried to demoralise them.”

Bihar recorded a voter turnout of nearly 65 per cent in the first phase of its Assembly elections on Thursday, the highest in the electoral history of the state. This election witnessed women voters turning out in large numbers to exercise their franchise, and the BJP is terming it as proof of their trust in the policies of the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state and PM Modi-led Centre.

Naqvi also reacted on the 150th anniversary of India’s National Song Vande Mataram, and said, “Vande Mataram is not just a national song; it is a symbol of national pride. When it was accepted as the national song, it was not the decision of any single community but of the entire nation acting in unity.”

The whole nation is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram on Friday. This composition, an enduring anthem, has inspired countless generations of freedom fighters and nation builders, standing as a lasting emblem of India’s national identity and collective spirit. Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, ‘Vande Mataram’ was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875.

Later, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee incorporated the hymn in his immortal novel ‘Anandamath’, which was published in 1882. It was set to music by Rabindranath Tagore. It has become an integral part of the nation’s civilisational, political and cultural consciousness. Commemorating this milestone presents an occasion to reaffirm the timeless message of unity, sacrifice, and devotion that Vande Mataram embodies for all Indians.

–IANS

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