New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 9 defended in the Rajya Sabha the ongoing discussion on Vande Mataram, countering Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s claims that the debate was politically timed ahead of next year’s West Bengal Assembly elections. Shah argued that the national song holds a timeless position in India’s cultural and patriotic ethos, far beyond regional or electoral considerations.
“Yesterday, some members questioned why there was a need to discuss Vande Mataram today,” Shah said in the Upper House. “But the need for dedication to and discussion on Vande Mataram existed earlier, it exists today, and it will continue to exist even in 2047.” His remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing Jawaharlal Nehru of fragmenting the national song under pressure from Muhammad Ali Jinnah and initiating what he termed “appeasement politics.”
Some people want to diminish importance of 'Vande Mataram' by trying to link it to Bengal elections: Home Minister Amit Shah in RS.
Vande Mataram an immortal creation that evokes sense of duty, dedication towards Mother India: Amit Shah in RS. pic.twitter.com/yXc9YcFWdG
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 9, 2025
Responding to Priyanka Gandhi’s suggestion that the timing of the debate was unusual and politically motivated, particularly with West Bengal headed for polls, Shah said it was “unfortunate” to confine Vande Mataram to narrow political narratives. “Some people feel this discussion is happening only because elections are being held in West Bengal,” he said. “But Vande Mataram is not limited to Bengal. Even today, when our soldiers make the supreme sacrifice on the border, when our police personnel lay down their lives, there is one voice that rises—Vande Mataram.”
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Highlighting the song’s historical resilience, Shah added, “Neither the British could stop Vande Mataram, nor could those who followed British culture stop it.” He stressed that its spirit continues to inspire Indians across generations and regions.
