Mahua Moitra Uses the “Vande Mataram” Debate to Launch a Sharp Attack on BJP and the Modi Government

TMC MP Mahua Moitra has launched a fierce critique of the BJP and the Modi government, arguing that the ongoing political drama around “Vande Mataram” is nothing more than a theatrical display of nationalism crafted for electoral gains. She contends that the ruling party is using patriotic sentiment not to strengthen unity but to divert attention from serious governance failures.

A Manufactured Distraction from Real Issues

According to Moitra, the sudden political focus on “Vande Mataram” is a deliberate attempt to shift the public conversation away from:

1. Escalating unemployment

2. Severe air pollution

3. Cuts in federal funds to states

4. Disenfranchisement of citizens

5. Suppression of opposition voices in Parliament

She asserts that the BJP is weaponising the “Vande Mataram” debate primarily to polarise Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, not out of genuine national concern.

Revisiting the History of “Vande Mataram”

Moitra traces the historical roots of the hymn to debunk what she calls BJP’s “propaganda versions”:

1. The hymn was originally composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875 as a two-stanza poem.

2. It later appeared in his novel Anandamath, focusing on undivided Bengal’s 7-crore population, not as a pan-Indian patriotic anthem.

3. Rabindranath Tagore gave the first musical score and popularised the song at the 1896 Congress session.

Tagore himself advised using only the first stanza to avoid communal tensions. Moitra argues that BJP’s claim that Nehru truncated the song for political reasons is “a deliberate distortion of history.”

Freedom Struggle vs RSS–BJP Narrative

Highlighting the contrast between the freedom movement and the BJP/RSS timeline, Moitra notes:

1. “Vande Mataram” was banned by the British under sedition laws.

2. It was the last chant of revolutionaries like Khudiram Bose and Ram Prasad Bismil on the gallows.

3. RSS was founded only in 1925 and the BJP in 1980—long after the height of the freedom struggle.

She ridicules BJP leaders who cannot even sing the song correctly in public, calling their hyper-nationalist posturing “a badly scripted comedy far removed from the song’s true legacy of sacrifice.”

Linking the Hymn to Today’s Governance Failures

Moitra uses each descriptive element in the hymn to expose what she calls the government’s betrayal of its spirit:

1. “Pure water” → contaminated water sources; budget cuts to Jal Jeevan Mission

2. “Pure air” → hazardous AQI levels in Delhi and other cities

3. “Fertile soil” → soil nutrient loss; shrinking agriculture investment

4. “Sweet language” → rise in hate speech and linguistic discrimination

5. “Happiness and knowledge” → declining happiness index and low education spending

She cites data on youth unemployment, pollution levels, reduced agricultural allocations, and India’s low rankings in hunger, gender gap, press freedom, and human development.

Minority Rights and Linguistic Concerns

Moitra accuses the government of creating a climate of fear for minorities, who she says are increasingly treated as “second-class citizens” due to:

1. Hate campaigns

2. Genocidal rhetoric

3. Terms like “infiltrators” and “vote bank”

She also calls Hindi-imposition “linguistic terrorism,” criticising remarks that label Bengali as “the language of Bangladesh.”
Many people in Delhi and Gurugram, she claims, now feel afraid to speak their mother tongues—an insult to the inclusive spirit of “Vande Mataram.”

Dharma, Rajdharma and the Meaning of Duty

Quoting Aurobindo’s translation, Moitra states that “dharma” in the hymn refers to conduct, not religion.
By discriminating on the basis of birth, caste and creed, she argues, the government is violating rajdharma—a principle even Atal Bihari Vajpayee invoked in 2002.

She further accuses the government of turning “faith in heart” into brute majoritarian force while leaving the nation vulnerable externally, citing instances where foreign leaders claimed to have pressured India into ceasefire agreements.

The True Legacy of “Vande Mataram”

Moitra emphasises that “Vande Mataram” evolved into a national resistance symbol because of:

1. Tagore’s musical interpretation

2. The Congress movement

3. The Swadeshi movement

4. Translations like Subramania Bharati’s Tamil version

It was a unifying chant shared by Hindus, Muslims and all freedom fighters—not a slogan of majoritarian exclusion.

A Direct Warning Ahead of 2026 Bengal Elections

In her concluding remarks, Moitra challenges the BJP:

“If you truly believe your narrative, go to the 2026 Bengal elections and say that Tagore was responsible for division. Ten crore Bengalis will give you your answer.”

Her speech frames the “Vande Mataram” controversy not as a cultural issue, but as a larger battle over history, constitutional values, and the meaning of patriotism in modern India.

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