Vande Mataram: Unity Amidst Debate

Context

The recent debate in the parliament involving Vande Mataram has elicited a spirited debate between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition especially the Indian National Congress (INC). Although this song is in its 150th anniversary and still stands as a symbol of national unity in India, the debate has been divided with charges of historical revisionism and trying to take attention off burning contemporary matters.

Vande Mataram and its historical importance

• A song titled Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and printed in the 1880s in the novel Anandamath, and it became a veritable call to arms in the struggle of India to secure freedom. 
• The song was the inspiration of generations of nation-builders who united various communities to oppose British colonialism. In 1937, the INC voted to sing only the first two stanzas during its meetings and this choice would ultimately have an implication on the position of the song as the national song of India. 
• Vande Mataram was officially adopted as the national song in the Constitution of India which highlighted the significance of this song in the cultural and political history of the country.

The Parliamentary Debate

• The recent debate in parliament on Vande Mataram to mark its 150th anniversary rapidly developed into a partisan diatribe. 
• The BJP, through Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha and the Home Minister, Amit Shah, in the Rajya Sabha cited the reason that the move by the INC to use first two stanzas only created the seeds of Partition since the Muslim League was quickly gaining momentum to have its own state of Pakistan. 
• The opposition fronted by the Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha opposed by stating the historical background and questioning the necessity of such a debate, stating the significance of attention to current problems.

Politics Diversion and Modern-day Problems

• The Opposition has charged the NDA of turning to the Vande Mataram debate as a gimmick to draw the attention away from other burning economic issues, foreign policy matters and also internal security issues. 
• Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge emphasized on the fact that Parliament must be looking into concerns of ordinary people instead of looking into past grievances. 
• According to the Opposition, the debate is dangerously close to reawakening old grievances and reinterpreting old grievances, which, as they argue, may destroy national unity and harmony.

Lessons from History

• The national movement created cohesiveness across the different religious and linguistic groups because it broadened the political space that was common to all. 
• The Vande Mataram tale can serve as a model of the way of accommodation and mutual respect that brings faiths and communities together. 
• National movement leaders did not force any one religion but still managed to feel unified and millions of Muslims walked with the Hindus around the country chanting Vande Mataram. 
• Even though this unification project was successful to such the degree, Partition was the embodiment of the frailty of such unity and the vulnerability of fostering any kind of identity other than a secular, constitutional, Indian commonness.

Way Forward

It is of no use inverting a history of harmony into a fissure cause. India has to maintain cohesion and peace with a renewed national agenda. The best tribute to Mother India is the spirit of inclusivity and mutual respect, which will help to learn the right lessons out of history not to repeat the same mistakes. The debate in parliament ought to be aimed at solving the current problems that affect the day-to-day lives of the citizens and not take it back to the grievances of the past.

Conclusion

Vande Mataram is still a strong endeavor in rallying India as a nation and the spirit of compromise that has historically held together the various communities. Although the recent parliamentary debate was a commemoration of the legacy of the song, it has been tainted with partisan politics, and those are trying to distract attention from the main issues of the day. India should promote cohesiveness and concord, learning appropriate lessons from the past to have a renewed national agenda.

Source: The Hindu

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