Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an impassioned speech in Parliament on Monday, marking the 150-year anniversary of Vande Mataram. In the address to the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister referred to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as “Bankim da”, prompting an objection from TMC MP Sougata Roy.
Modi was recounting the rise of the Swadeshi movement when he said, “This spirit created by Bankim da…” Roy immediately interrupted to point out that “da” was not the appropriate term to use.
Vande Mataram, India’s national song, was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, one of 19th-century Bengal’s most influential literary figures. In Bengali, however, “da” is used as a friendly, elder-brother term, while “Babu” is considered a formal, honorary title. Follow Vande Mataram debate live updates
Taking Roy’s correction in stride, the Prime Minister paused briefly, then said, “Alright, you want me to say Bankim Babu, Bankim Babu – fine, thank you, thank you, thank you. I respect your sentiments. Bankim Babu… Bankim Babu – thank you, dada, thank you.”
The Prime Minister, with a touch of humour, added, “I can call you ‘dada’, right? Otherwise, you’ll object to that as well.”
{{/usCountry}}The Prime Minister, with a touch of humour, added, “I can call you ‘dada’, right? Otherwise, you’ll object to that as well.”
{{/usCountry}}He then continued with his speech, saying, “The emotional force that Bankim Babu created through his soulful song shook the British.”
‘Stood like a rock’
Modi emphasised how deeply the song had influenced India’s fight against colonial rule. “The mantra energised and inspired India’s freedom movement and showed the path of courage and determination. Remembering that sacred Vande Mataram today is a great privilege for all of us in this House,” he said, calling the 150-year milestone “a matter of pride”.
He also recalled the British response to the song’s growing popularity.
“Vande Mataram was written at a time when, after the uprising of 1857, the British government was alarmed and unleashing various forms of oppression… British divided Bengal in 1905, but Vande Mataram stood like a rock and inspired unity,” the Prime Minister said.
The government had tried to ban the printing and propagation of the poem, Modi noted, even as it pushed “God Save the Queen” into Indian public life. But Bankim Chandra’s composition, he said, remained a powerful counter-force that shaped the nationalist imagination.
Earlier in his address, the Prime Minister used the anniversary to draw parallels with moments of democratic stress in India’s history. He said Vande Mataram had stood as a symbol of unity, resistance and courage throughout the freedom struggle.
“When Vande Mataram completed 100 years, the nation was chained by the Emergency. At that time, the Constitution was throttled, and those who lived and died for patriotism were pushed behind bars,” Modi said.