In a charged Lok Sabha session on Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered an impassioned address on Vande Mataram, triggering a sharp confrontation when Opposition MPs interrupted him — a moment that exploded into a full-blown outburst on the Parliament floor.
As Singh accused the opposition of “fragmenting” the national song over decades of purported appeasement politics, some MPs raised voices and called for him to sit.
Caught off-guard, Singh snapped: “Kaun baithanewala hai? Kaun baithayega?” (Who is going to make me sit? Who will sit me down?) and followed up with, “Kya baat kar rahe ho… baith! Yeh himmat hogayi?” (What are you even saying… sit down! How dare you?).
The heated exchange saw BJP members vocally backing him, demanding how someone could challenge the Defence Minister’s right to speak. The confrontation lasted till the Speaker intervened.
In his speech, Singh condemned what he called years of neglect toward “Vande Mataram,” claiming that though the national anthem became a symbol of unity, the song itself was sidelined — an injustice that, in his view, reflected a broader failure of national memory and respect.
He urged the House to recognise the song in its entirety, arguing that its original stanzas and the book it comes from were never anti-Islam but rather a powerful cry against colonial rule and tyranny.
The debate — launched in Lok Sabha and timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of “Vande Mataram” — was opened by Narendra Modi, who described the song as a sacred war-cry during India’s freedom struggle and called for its revival as a symbol of national pride.
Members of the opposition, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accused the ruling side of politicising the song — particularly with an eye on the upcoming state polls in West Bengal.
They argued the debate was a diversion from pressing issues like inflation, unemployment and governance failures.
As both sides battle over history, identity and electoral strategy, Monday’s clash laid bare more than just a parliamentary argument — it showcased how a 150-year-old anthem continues to deeply resonate and provoke in contemporary politics.
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