Responding to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s allegation that the BJP was “imposing a ban” on the national song, Fadnavis said it was the Congress that had limited its recitation. Earlier, speaking to reporters, Thackeray had alleged that the BJP “misuses” the national song
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addresses the media in Nagpur on Monday. Pic/X
Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that the national song, ‘Vande Mataram’, will be taken up for discussion in the next session of the state legislature.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Nagpur, Fadnavis said it was significant that Vande Mataram was being debated in Parliament.
“Vande Mataram is not just a song but a mantra of the Indian freedom struggle and rashtravaad (nationalism). It is that mahamantra which connected the common man of this country with the freedom struggle. It is necessary to have a discussion on it in Parliament as the national song is completing 150 years. I am very happy that this debate is going on in Parliament,” he said.
वंदे मातरम् केवल एक गीत नहीं, बल्कि भारत की स्वतंत्रता और राष्ट्रवाद का मंत्र है।
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) December 8, 2025
( नागपुर| 8-12-2025)#Maharashtra #Nagpur #vandemataram pic.twitter.com/SMVfnwUEPT
“Today, we too sang Vande Mataram in the Vidhan Sabha and paid homage. Our Speaker has said that a discussion on Vande Mataram will be held in the House in the next session,” added CM Fadnavis.
वंदे मातरम्!
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) December 8, 2025
सुजलाम्, सुफलाम्, मलयज शीतलाम्,
शस्यश्यामलाम्, मातरम्!
वंदे मातरम्!
महाराष्ट्र विधिमंडळाच्या 'हिवाळी अधिवेशन 2025'ची सुरुवात...#Maharashtra #Nagpur #WinterSession2025 pic.twitter.com/qBCdTbOi0h
The winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature began in Nagpur on Monday.
Responding to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s allegation that the BJP was “imposing a ban” on the national song, Fadnavis said it was the Congress that had limited its recitation.
“It is the Congress that curtailed it by mandating that only a couple of stanzas will be sung. Aaditya Thackeray roams with the Congress every day. He should be questioning the Congress rather than the BJP. Vande Mataram has got only respect during BJP rule and there were no restrictions,” the CM said.
Earlier, speaking to reporters, Thackeray had alleged that the BJP “misuses” the national song and slogans such as ‘Jai Hind’ and Hindutva for electoral gains and later restricts their use.
“If you see the Rajya Sabha handbook this year, they have imposed restriction on saying ‘Jai Hind’ and Vande Mataram in the House,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated a debate on the “150th anniversary of national song Vande Mataram”. In a sharp attack, he said India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had “betrayed” Vande Mataram by echoing the communal concerns of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah and fragmenting the national song, which put the country on the path of appeasement politics leading to Partition.
“Unfortunately, on October 26, 1937, Congress compromised on Vande Mataram, fragmenting it in their decision. This decision was cloaked under the guise of social harmony, but history bears witness that INC bowed before the Muslim League and acted under its pressure, adopting a politics of appeasement,” Modi said.
(With PTI inputs)
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