The discussion held in the Lok Sabha on the 150th anniversary of the national song, ‘Vande Mataram’, which was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, forced members of the ruling and opposition parties to explore the history of the freedom movement and its many currents. For those who took the trouble to attend, it will have proved a lesson on the complexities of Indian democracy, in contrast to the simplified versions that have been manufactured over the years under different dispensations.
While the BJP initiated the discussion to ostensibly underline the sentiment behind the song and its relevance today, the Congress claimed ownership as the party that led the freedom movement. A lot of historical facts related to how the song was adopted and ‘truncated’ were brought up by both sides to assert their claims. The Congress struggled to defend Pt Nehru, who was particularly targeted by the BJP. The immediate context of the discussion, which actually turned into a debate, was the coming assembly election in West Bengal and how the Bengali identity would be defined – isolationist or nationalistic.
From among the opposition, two speakers in particular stood out for the position they took on the subject. One was Congress MP Priyanka Vadra, whose speech was a welcome contrast to the usual ramblings of her brother, Rahul Gandhi. She hit the right notes, was unsparing of the Government, and was well prepared with the necessary facts. The speech flowed smoothly to its logical end. It was evident that the person delivering it was rooted in the reality of present day life and not some imagined world in the mind.
The other speaker that took an interesting approach was Mahua Moitra of the TMC. She contrasted every stanza of the song to what she presented as the specific failures of the BJP, to emphasise how it is necessary to understand its spirit, rather than exploit it as a political weapon. In the context of the debate, she delivered a telling statement. How much the emphasis on Bengali identity as inclusive will play out in the state at voting time will become known in the days to come.
Priyanka Vadra was also right in claiming that the debate was held to divert from the more crucial issues facing the nation, but not entirely. It merely shows that the BJP remains ahead of the game, anticipating events rather than reacting to them. It remains always in election mode, while its rivals take breaks from politics quite frequently.
