A sharp political confrontation erupted in the Lok Sabha on Monday as Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the Narendra Modi government of using the discussion on Vande Mataram to divert national attention from pressing public concerns. Speaking during a special session marking 150 years of the national song, Priyanka argued that there was “no controversy” around Vande Mataram and questioned the very need for a parliamentary debate on the subject.

She alleged that the ruling BJP had timed the discussion with an eye on the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. According to her, the government’s intention was not to honour the national song but to shift focus away from unemployment, inflation, and other issues affecting ordinary citizens. “We are having this debate because Bengal polls are coming,” she said, adding that the government wanted to level fresh accusations against freedom fighters and Congress icons rather than address current challenges.

In a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Priyanka said the PM “is not the leader he used to be,” claiming his “self-confidence was decreasing” and that his policies were “weakening the country.” She accused the BJP of repeatedly targeting Jawaharlal Nehru to avoid accountability. “Since you talk about Nehru so much, let’s debate all alleged insults once and for all, and then move on to today’s issues,” she said.

Priyanka outlined the historical chronology of Vande Mataram, noting that Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote it in 1875, expanded it in 1882, and that Rabindranath Tagore first sang it at a Congress session in 1896. Citing correspondence between Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose, 

she rebutted PM Modi’s allegation that the Congress had engaged in “appeasement politics” over the national song. She argued that questioning the adoption of the first two stanzas as the national song was equivalent to questioning the Constituent Assembly itself.

The BJP responded swiftly. Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Priyanka of undermining a historic symbol of India’s freedom struggle and claimed her remarks reflected a “Muslim League–Maoist Congress mindset.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders are expected to reinforce the party’s nationalist interpretation of Vande Mataram during the debate.

The Lok Sabha has allocated 10 hours for the discussion, with the Rajya Sabha scheduled to continue it on Tuesday under the lead of Home Minister Amit Shah. As the two sides clash over history, symbolism and political messaging, Vande Mataram has once again become a flashpoint in India’s charged political landscape.

‘We are for country, you for elections'

Indian National Congress (INC) MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a debate in Lok Sabha on 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, stating that her party will continue to battle against their ideology. She said the BJP focuses on elections while her party stands for the country.

"You (BJP) are for the elections, we are for the country. No matter how many elections we lose, we will sit here and keep fighting you and your ideology. We will keep fighting for our country. You cannot stop us..." ANI quoted Priyanka as saying.