Why Vande Mataram Still Divides Indian Politics 150 Years After It Was Written

As Parliament began a special discussion to mark 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, one of India’s most important national symbols has again entered the political spotlight. What began as a poem inside a 19th-century Bengali novel has travelled through the freedom movement, crossed oceans through Indian students abroad, inspired revolutionaries and now returns to the centre of political argument in the Lok Sabha.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the debate in Parliament. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will close it. The Rajya Sabha will take it up on Tuesday under the leadership of home minister Amit Shah.

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10 hours had been earmarked for discussion on Vande Mataram in Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha, where the debate will take place on Tuesday, December 9. The BJP-led NDA government was allotted 3 hours to participate in the Lok Sabha debate. But behind the speeches and fireworks lies a simple question: Why are we arguing about Vande Mataram 150 years after it was written?

The answer lies in history, politics, memory and India’s long journey of identity.

How Vande Mataram was born

The poem ‘Vande Mataram’ was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in Sanskritised Bengali in the 1870s. It was first published in 1882 in his novel Anandamath, a story set during the Sannyasi Rebellion against British rule.

Bankim’s poem praised the motherland. In 1905, the Indian National Congress adopted it as a national song of unity at a time of strong anti-colonial feeling. It became a powerful chant during the freedom struggle, and in 1950, after Independence, the first two stanzas were given official status as India’s national song, sharing honour with the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

The first two stanzas refer to the ‘mother’ and ‘motherland’ without any religious imagery. Later stanzas mention Hindu goddesses like Durga. These differences shaped early debates around its universal acceptance.

Today, unlike the national anthem, there are no rules for how or when ‘Vande Mataram’ should be sung.

Why it became a symbol of Indian nationalism

Even before India became independent, Vande Mataram moved from literature to public life. It became a chant in protests, meetings, underground movements and student gatherings. It also found supporters far from India.

The poem did not stay inside Bengal or India. Its meaning crossed borders through students, migrant workers and early revolutionaries who carried it with them.

How Vande Mataram travelled abroad: The India House chapter

One of the strongest examples of its influence outside India came through India House in London, opened in 1905. The hostel, set up to support Indian students in Britain, slowly became a base for nationalist activities.

Young Indians living in London printed pamphlets, wrote articles, and spread messages of independence. Among these materials were texts that carried variations like ‘Bande Mataram’ as a patriotic slogan.

When Vinayak Damodar Savarkar arrived in London in 1906 to study law at Gray’s Inn, India House changed even more. Savarkar took a leading role among students. He created the Free India Society in London as an international arm of the revolutionary group Abhinav Bharat Society, which he had helped establish in India.

Historical records show that pamphlets, manifestos and leaflets criticising colonial rule were secretly printed inside India House. One of these was reportedly titled ‘Bande Mataram’, inspired by the cry of resistance back home.

For Indian students far from home, the song became a reminder of identity, hope, and the shared struggle for freedom. This London chapter shows that the independence movement was not limited to India’s borders. It also grew in hostels, printing rooms, and meeting halls in foreign countries.

Why revolutionaries turned it into a battle cry

For many freedom fighters, ‘Vande Mataram’ was more than a chant. It was the last shout of courage before walking to the gallows. Revolutionaries of groups like the Anushilan Samiti and young heroes like Khudiram Bose, carried the slogan as a sign of resistance.

It is because of this history that Vande Mataram remains emotionally powerful even today. It is linked to sacrifice, courage, and the fearlessness of the freedom movement.

How it became the national song in 1950

When India became independent, the Constituent Assembly had to decide the status of national symbols. There were debates on whether Vande Mataram should be the national anthem.

Concerns were raised about the later stanzas due to their goddess references. Leaders wanted an inclusive symbol for a diverse country. After long discussions, the Assembly agreed that:

• The first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be the national song.
• Jana Gana Mana would be the national anthem.
• This compromise placed both songs at the heart of India’s democracy.

Today, Vande Mataram is heard in school assemblies, cultural events, films, stadiums and public celebrations. But it also appears in political debates. As Parliament began the 150-year discussion, the moment linked modern India to a long journey starting from a fictional motherland imagined by Bankim Chandra.

This moment also revived old political disagreements.

The latest political clash: BJP vs Congress

During Monday’s debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made strong comments about the Congress party’s decisions around Vande Mataram in the 1930s. He accused the Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru of:

• Accepting the Muslim League’s objections
• ‘Bending’ on the issue in 1937
• Splitting the song to satisfy the League
• Setting a ‘pattern of appeasement’ that continues today

PM Modi said Muhammad Ali Jinnah had raised slogans against Vande Mataram in 1937. According to him, Nehru later wrote to Subhas Chandra Bose saying that the background of the song in Anandamath ‘might irritate Muslims’. He suggested that the 1937 Congress decision to limit the use of Vande Mataram was a compromise.

He also said the Congress ‘knelt’ before the Muslim League and described today’s Congress as ‘Muslim League Congress (MLC)’.

Congress hits back strongly

The Congress responded quickly. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused PM Modi of repeatedly blaming Nehru for political gain. He listed several examples of speeches where the PM mentioned Nehru many times:

• Operation Sindoor: Nehru’s name 14 times, Congress 50 times
• 75th Anniversary of the Constitution: Nehru 10 times, Congress 26 times
• 2022 President’s Address: Nehru 15 times
• 2020 President’s Address: Nehru 20 times

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Gogoi said with humility that no effort by the Prime Minister could erase Nehru’s contributions. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh called PM Modi “the Master Distorian” and posed three questions:

• Who formed a coalition with the person who moved the Pakistan resolution? Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
• Who praised Jinnah in Karachi in 2005? L.K. Advani.
• Who praised Jinnah in a 2009 book? Jaswant Singh.

Congress leaders argued that:

• They were the ones who first popularised Vande Mataram.
• The song was limited to two stanzas based on Rabindranath Tagore’s advice.
• The decision was taken to keep the freedom movement united.
• BJP was selectively using history to score political points.

Why BJP is reviving this issue now

For the BJP, Vande Mataram fits into its larger focus on:

• Cultural nationalism
• Civilisational identity
• Reclaiming historical narratives
• Highlighting what it calls earlier ‘appeasement’ politics

Marking 150 years gives the party an opportunity to speak about national pride and cultural symbols.

The BJP argues that the Congress bowed down unnecessarily in 1937 and that revisiting the past is important for correcting the historical record.

Why Congress feels on the defensive

Congress believes the BJP is misusing selective historical references. It says:

• Congress leaders were among the first to sing and popularise the song.
• They sang it in protests and during key moments of the freedom movement.
• Inclusivity was the main reason for limiting it to two stanzas in 1937.
• The BJP is using this issue to distract from present-day problems.

The party claims it is being attacked unfairly through events that happened decades ago.

The Vande Mataram discussion stands at the crossroads of History, Identity, Politics and Culture. The question now is not what the song is, but what it means to India today. As the country marks 150 years of the poem, leaders must decide whether this moment becomes a chance to reflect on shared heritage, or another arena for political conflict.

(With inputs from agencies)