Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant joined the special Winter Session discussion commemorating 150 years of Vande Mataram, alleging that the BJP “did not hoist the tricolour at its office for nearly 50 years,” and today leaders are now praising the National Song.
Sawant began by sharing a brief historical context about the geography of the erstwhile Bengal Province, which once included present-day Bengal, Bihar, and Bangladesh. Recalling the powerful slogan “Bang-Bang” that once echoed across India, he said it was a moment of great significance. He noted that people have traditionally sung Vande Mataram along with patriotic songs like Jhanda Ooncha Rahe Hamara and Vijayi Vishwa Tiranga Pyara on occasions such as Independence Day and Republic Day.
He remarked that although these songs were widely celebrated, the ruling party at the time “never hoisted the tricolour at its office for nearly 50 years,” and yet today, those same leaders praise Vande Mataram. “It is good to see this change,” he added.
Arvind Sawant went on to say that in the writings of Dr. Hedgewar and Dr. Golwalkar, Vande Mataram is not mentioned, whereas Congress traditionally sang the national song at all its programmes. In 1920, he noted, more than 10,000 Hindus and Muslims marched together carrying the Vande Bharat flag and chanting slogans of unity.
He criticised certain members of the Rajya Sabha, saying that even today they refrain from saying “Thank you,” “Jai Hind,” or Vande Bharat, and yet no action has been taken against them.
Referring to global history, Sawant said that when Gopal Krishna Gokhale arrived in South Africa in 1912, he was welcomed with cries of Vande Bharat. He added that many who claim ownership of the freedom struggle today “were not present during the Quit India Movement of 1942.”
Sawant recalled the moment when, after mass arrests at Mumbai's August Kranti Maidan, a young woman named Aruna Asaf Ali climbed the stage, raised the slogan “Bharat Mata ki Jai,” shouted Vande Bharat, and led a procession despite the crackdown.
Turning to the present, Sawant questioned the Prime Minister’s emphasis on self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat). “Tell me, which institution is truly self-reliant? Is the CBI, the judiciary, the ED, are any of them fully independent?” he asked. “We are told to become self-reliant, but are these institutions self-reliant? Even today, Manipur needs the spirit of Vande Mataram.”
The debate in the Lok Sabha is part of a wider discussion across both Houses to commemorate 150 years of Vande Mataram. The BJP-led NDA has been allotted three hours in the Lower House, while the entire debate is scheduled to span ten hours across the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, 9 December.
