Vande Mataram at 150: Parliament Debates History, BJP-Congress Clash

• Parliament to hold special debates on 150 years of Vande Mataram, with PM Modi, Rajnath Singh, and Amit Shah participating.
• The debate centers on the national song's layered history, its role in the freedom struggle, and competing political narratives.
• PM Modi criticized Congress for truncating Vande Mataram in 1937, linking it to a "divisive mindset" and the seeds of partition.
• Congress defends the 1937 decision, citing leaders like Gandhi and Nehru, and Tagore's advice to use only two stanzas to ensure unity amidst Muslim community objections to religious imagery.
• Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in the 1870s, Vande Mataram became a nationalist anthem and was declared India's national song in 1950.

Why It Matters: Vande Mataram debate shows how historical symbols are weaponized in today's politics.