- Rajnath Singh confronts Opposition MPs after interruptions during his address
- Says Congress “fragmented” Vande Mataram due to decades-old appeasement politics
- PM Modi earlier called the national song a “sacred war cry” of the freedom movement
- Congress accuses government of politicising the issue ahead of elections
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 9th Dec: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday delivered a fiery response to Opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha, sharply rebuking them for interrupting his speech during the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.
A video from inside the House captured the moment Singh snapped at Opposition members: “Kaun baithanewala hai? Kaun baithayega? … Baith! Yeh himmat hogayi?” The heated exchange prompted several BJP MPs to rally behind him, while Speaker Om Birla intervened to restore order.
In his address, Singh accused the Congress of “fragmenting” Vande Mataram due to appeasement politics that he said began during the Jawaharlal Nehru era. He argued that the national song had suffered “injustice” and called for restoring its dignity.
The Defence Minister maintained that Vande Mataram and the novel Anand Math were not anti-Islam but reflected resistance against oppressive rule in Bengal and British imperialism.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had opened the debate by describing Vande Mataram as a “sacred war cry” that unified India’s freedom struggle. The discussion follows a recent political storm over allegations that Congress dropped key stanzas of the song in 1937—charges the party denies.
Responding for the Opposition, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of raking up the issue for political mileage ahead of elections and urged Parliament to focus on issues that matter to citizens.
The debate is expected to continue across both Houses.
