War of words over ‘Vande Mataram’

New Delhi: Leader of Rajya Sabha and BJP president JP Nadda's strong attack on the Congress and former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru over 'Vande Mataram' saw heated exchanges in the Upper House as LoP Mallikarjun Kharge countered him.

The fierce debate over ‘Vande Mataram’ returned to rattle Parliament on Thursday when the top two leaders of the House crossed swords over the treatment the historic composition has received in the past.

Three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused in Lok Sabha the Opposition Congress and his predecessor Jawaharlal Nehru of dishonouring ‘Vande Mataram’ when they were in power and also came under the criticism of the Trinamool Congress for referring to the creator of the National Song, litterateur Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, as “Bankimda” (elder brother Bankim), the arena shifted to the Rajya Sabha.

Parliament is debating Vande Mataram on its 150th anniversary. Nadda said the National Song did not receive the respect it deserved after Independence, and held the Congress responsible for it. Concluding the debate on the composition, the BJP leader, who is also a top Central minister, said the government doesn’t aim to tarnish the image of Nehru but only wanted to set the historical records straight.