New Delhi: Trinamool Congress leaders Monday tore into Narendra Modi’s speech on ‘Vande Mataram’ within the Lok Sabha after the Prime Minister referred to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who penned the nationwide music, as “Bankim da”, which, they stated, was “disrespectful to the literary icon” and “culturally insensitive”.

The Modi authorities, in response to TMC leaders, held a dialogue on ‘Vande Mataram’ within the hopes of reaping some dividends for the BJP forward of the 2026 West Bengal meeting elections.

“In the present day, honourable PM Narendra Modi referred to ‘Rishi’ Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as ‘Bankim Da’, creating the impression that he was having an informal dialog with the literary icon at an area tea store. Bengalis is not going to tolerate the belittling of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay—simply as they didn’t tolerate the disrespect proven to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar when his bust was vandalised,” Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar stated.

The Barasat MP added that ‘Vande Mataram’ was not simply the nationwide music, a prayer, and a poem, but additionally the legacy of tens of millions who sang it to gas the wrestle for Independence.

“Bengalis is not going to take kindly to such an informal reference to the revered writer of ‘Vande Mataram’,” Ghosh Dastidar stated, warning that Bengal had taken observe of the PM’s reference.

Demanding justice for the disrespect meted out to Bengal, she additional stated that Bengalis knew how you can rise up and combat. “’Jai Hind’ was popularised by Netaji, and ‘Jana Gana Mana’, our nationwide anthem, was composed by Rabindranath Tagore, which was disrespected by their MP, Vishweshwar Hegde. The sense of patriotism amongst Bengalis runs deep, and such disrespect won’t ever be tolerated,” Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar added.

Her occasion colleague, Mahua Moitra, took the same line, calling the BJP’s debate on the music a “badly scripted comedy”. She stated your entire debate was a distraction from the Centre’s failings.

“We live in an India, the place actual unemployment exceeds 20 %, that we’re choking within the nationwide Capital, the place the Air High quality Index routine-levels are over-800, when the Centre is purposefully ravenous the non-BJP states of MNREGA, housing, and water scheme funds, the place tens of millions face hurried and arbitrary mass disenfranchisement, and the place the Opposition is bullied for elevating urgent nationwide points,” TMC MP Mahua Moitra stated. Including, “All of the sudden, the federal government finds it so necessary, so pressing to debate the historic complexities of a music.”

What’s extra ironic is the declare that the hate and divisiveness in at the moment’s India may very well be linked again to ‘Vande Mataram’, she stated. Simply two weeks in the past, on 24 November, the Rajya Sabha parliamentary bulletin printed a bit on parliamentary customs and conventions, explicitly informing all MPs that the decorum and seriousness of the proceedings of the Home require that there must be no ‘Jai Hind’ or ‘Vande Mataram’ or every other slogans raised, Mahua Moitra stated.

“So, Vande Mataram, in your view, as of final week, was positioned on report in a parliamentary bulletin as a slogan, which was each indecorous and non-serious. And but, immediately, you wish to focus on it for 10 hours on this Home. Why? …. As a result of some occasion chief has suggested you that the ‘Vande Mataram’ card, if performed proper, will give a bonus to the BJP within the 2026 Bengal elections,” Mahua Moitra added.

West Bengal goes to elections subsequent 12 months. BJP faces one among its stiffest competitions within the state from the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC. Within the 2021 meeting polls, TMC received 213 of the full 294 seats whereas the BJP managed to win simply 77.

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

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