Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday initiated a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on the national song Vande Mataram, marking its 150th anniversary.
During his address, PM Modi referred to Vande Mataram's composer and legendary Bengali poet, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, as 'Bankim Da'. However, this did not go down well with Trinamool MP Saugata Roy, who quickly corrected the PM.
"You are saying Bankim Da? You should say Bankim Babu," he objected. The term 'da' is commonly used by Bengalis to address brothers, acquantances, or friends.
To this, PM Modi replied: "I will say Bankim Babu. Thank you, I respect your sentiments." He then joked, "I can call you dada, right? Or you have an objection to that too?"
PM Modi then continued his address, highlighting the role played by Vande Mataram during India's freedom struggle. He stressed that the national song is not just a mantra or slogan but a "sacred war cry to rid Bharatmata of vestiges of colonialism".
"Vande Mataram is a mantra, a slogan which gave energy, inspiration, and showed the path for sacrifice and penance to the freedom movement. It is a matter of pride that we are becoming witnesses to 150 years of Vande Mataram. It is a historic moment," he said.
"Vande Mataram was not just a mantra for political independence. It was not limited to our independence; it was way beyond that. The freedom movement was a war to free our motherland from the clutches of slavery," the PM added.
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