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Mamata Banerjee Slams Modi: BJP's Objections to Tagore, Bose Reveal Political Agenda

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks in Parliament about the national song Vande Mataram. She accused the BJP of unnecessarily politicising the issue and having historical objections to everything, including revered figures like Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Banerjee also defended her decision not to attend a large Gita chanting event, labelling it a covert BJP programme. Furthermore, she slammed the central government's handling of recent airline disruptions, calling it a failure in planning that has caused immense passenger hardship.

Key Points: Mamata Banerjee Criticises PM Modi Over Vande Mataram Remarks

  • Mamata Banerjee defends Rabindranath Tagore's role in selecting the National Song portion
  • She accuses BJP of constantly opposing and insulting Bengali icons like Tagore and Bose
  • Banerjee clarifies her absence from a Gita chanting event, calling it a disguised BJP programme
  • The CM also blames the Union government for the recent IndiGo flight chaos and lack of planning
3 min read

Vande Mataram 150: 'They have objections to everything', Mamata Banerjee on PM Modi's LS speech

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hits back at PM Modi's Lok Sabha speech on Vande Mataram, accusing BJP of politicising history and insulting Bengali icons.

"They have objections to everything. At times they oppose Gurudev, and at times they oppose Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. - Mamata Banerjee"

Kolkata, Dec 8

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks in the Lok Sabha on Monday regarding the inclusion of only a section of the famous Bengali author Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's Vande Mataram as the Indian National Song, claiming that the BJP was unnecessarily politicising the matter.

“It was Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, who identified the portion of Vande Mataram for the National Song. BJP had objections even to that. They have objections to everything. At times they oppose Gurudev, and at times they oppose Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,” the Chief Minister told newspersons at Kolkata Airport before leaving for Cooch Behar, where she will be chairing an administrative review meeting.

Earlier, PM Modi, while commemorating the 150th year of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, launched a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that the party once fractured the national song under pressure from the Muslim League and “knelt before them”.

He said, “Today, as we celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram, we must tell new generations the truth -- that Congress once split this hymn, succumbing to the pressure of the Muslim League and its everlasting appeasement policy. This should never be allowed to happen again,” PM Modi declared, urging Parliament to restore pride in the song that once united the nation against colonial rule."

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister also gave a clarification on why she did not attend the 'Panch Lakho Konthe Gita Path (Gita chanting by five lakh voices)' programme at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on Sunday, despite being invited there.

“That event was actually a programme of the BJP in disguise. How could I attend that? I would have surely attended the event had it been a neutral programme. But I cannot attend a programme of those who constantly insult Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Raja Ram Mohan Roy,” the Chief Minister said.

Commenting on the recent IndiGo flights fiasco, the Chief Minister said that the lack of planning by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation was responsible for the plight of the passengers. “I have noticed that passengers are facing immense difficulties because of the flight fiasco during the last few days. The Union government is responsible for this. There was an absolute lack of planning. I think that it is the right of the passengers to move to the court because of the problems faced by them,” the Chief Minister said.

She also questioned the suggestion given to the passengers to opt for alternative options to travel from one place to another. “How is that possible? Actually, the Union Government led by the BJP does not think of the common people. They always think of the election outcome,” the Chief Minister said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone living in Kolkata, it's sad to see our cultural icons like Tagore and Bankim Chandra being used as political pawns. The history is complex, but the song's spirit is simple—love for the motherland.
A
Arjun K
Didi has a point about the flight chaos. The common man is suffering at airports while leaders debate 150-year-old songs. Priorities, please! Fix today's problems first.
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Priyanka N
Respectfully, I think the PM is right to remind us of history. We should know how compromises were made. But the current debate feels more about scoring points than genuine respect for the song.
K
Karthik V
The real issue is that every event is seen through a political lens now. Can't we just celebrate our national song without the blame game? Jai Hind!
M
Michael C
Interesting to see this from abroad. The passion for national symbols is clear, but the constant political friction seems exhausting for the average citizen. Governance should come first.

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