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'Vande Mataram stanzas on Maa Durga removed by Nehru in 1937': BJP's big charge
BJP claimed that while Netaji was in favour of releasing Vande Mataram's "full original" version, Nehru thought the song was "not suitable" as a national song.
As India marks 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, the BJP has made a striking claim against former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, alleging that a shortened version of the song was released because he "deliberately removed" stanzas that praised Goddess Durga.
BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan in a detailed tweet accused the Congress of a "historic sin and blunder" under Nehru's party presidency back in 1937.
"In a letter dated Sep 1, 1937, Nehru spitefully writes that anybody considering the words in Vande Mataram as anything to do with a Goddess was absurd," Kesavan wrote, sharing excerpts from the said letter.
He also said that while Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was in favour of releasing the song's "full original" version, Nehru thought that Vande Mataram was "not suitable" as a national song.
"On Oct 20, 1937 Nehru wrote to Netaji Bose claiming that the background of Vande Mataram was likely to irritate Muslims. He went on to say that there does seem to be substance regarding outcry against Vande Mataram and people who are communalistically inclined have been affected by it," Kesavan further said.
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His staggering claims come ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at an event to mark 150 years of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
"It (Vande Mataram) did not belong to any particular religion or language. But the Congress committed the historic sin and blunder of linking the song with religion. Congress under Nehru citing religious grounds deliberately removed stanzas of Vande Mataram which hailed Goddess Ma Durga," Kesavan said.
He even drew parallels between Nehru and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying the former PM's "Hindu Virodhi" mentality echoes in the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
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"The Hindu Virodhi mentality of Nehru finds a pungent echo in Rahul Gandhi who recently demeaned and maligned the sacred Chatth Puja as a drama, hurting the sentiments of crores of devotees," Kesavan said.
Kesavan was referring to Rahul Gandhi's recent attack on the government when he said that the BJP staged a "drama" and built a separate pond for PM Modi to take a dip in during Chhath Puja in Delhi.
Vande Mataram was penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 19th century and was first published in the literary journal ‘Bangadarshan’ as part of his novel, "Anandamath" in 1882.
