Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution authorising the state government to undertake a year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of the national song, ‘Vande Mataram’, to instil patriotism among the youth, children and students.
The resolution was moved by Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and was adopted with support of both the BJD and Congress after a brief discussion.
‘Vande Mataram’ was then being played on the speaker system, and all the legislators, standing in respect, sang it. However, after the two stanzas — which have been adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the national song — the members of the two opposition parties staged a walkout. The remaining portion of the song continued to be played, and BJP MLAs remained standing.
The BJD and Congress members later returned to the House.
“We have the highest regard for Vande Matarm, and its writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. We stood in respect till singing of two stanzas of the song, which have been adopted by the Constituent Assembly. The entire song was not accepted by the Constituent Assembly. We – the PM, CM or any MP or MLA – are not above the Constitution,” Opposition Deputy Leader Prasanna Acharya of BJD explained in the House.
Congress Legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam also maintained a similar line and said that his party has highest regard for ‘Vande Mataram’.
“But, we accept the first two para of the song and not the whole poem, the copy of which is distributed by the state government,” he said.
Kadam lashed out at the BJP government at the Centre and in the state, and accused them of adopting a ploy to divert attention of the nation from burning issues like falling value of rupee, SIR of the electoral rolls and the Indigo fiasco.
By focusing on the Vande Mataram, the BJP intended to divide the country, the Congress MLA alleged.
He also claimed that the BJP raised the Vande Mataram issue keeping in mind next year’s West Bengal Assembly polls.
“Why did the BJP suddenly decide to celebrate Vande Mataram 78 years after Independence? The RSS, Jan Sangh or Hindu Mahasabha had no such role in the freedom struggle. It was the Congress, and not the Sangh Parivar, that fought the British rulers,” Kadam said.
He condemned the BJP’s alleged attempt to tarnish the image of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, “Vande Mataram is a symbol of patriotism, sacrifice and devotion to the country. This song became so popular that the British government banned it out of fear. Although it has been given the status of the national song since independence, there have been attempts by some vested interests to diminish its importance, especially in post-independence India”.
Therefore, Majhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to celebrate 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ to rekindle the feelings of patriotism among the countrymen.
“Whatever language we belong to, whatever religion we belong to or whatever region we belong to – if there is no feeling of patriotism among us, then the inclusive development of the country is impossible,” Majhi said.
Stating that ‘Vande Mataram’ is also a source of collective resolve, he urged everyone to unite and work towards making India a fully developed nation by 2047.
The culture minister said that Odisha’s was the “karma Bhoomi” of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, as he worked as a government officer in Jajpur district.
