PM Modi Recalls Vande Mataram Controversy and Appeasement in Lok Sabha

Historical Context of Vande Mataram Controversy

• 💡 Muhammad Ali Jinnah initiated strong protests against Vande Mataram on October 15, 1937, from Lucknow.
• 📌 The Muslim League's opposition to Vande Mataram was intensifying during this period.

Nehru's Response and Concerns

• 💬 Instead of defending the song, Jawaharlal Nehru began investigating Vande Mataram's background.
• ✉️ On October 20, 1937, Nehru wrote to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, expressing concern that the "Anand Math" background of Vande Mataram could "irritate Muslims."
• 🧠 Nehru stated he had read the song's background and believed it would provoke Muslims.

Congress's Compromise and Public Reaction

• 🗓️ The Congress Working Committee convened in Kolkata on October 26, 1937, to review the use of Vande Mataram.
• ⚠️ This decision caused widespread shock and dismay across the nation, leading to protests and "Prabhat Pheris" where patriots sang Vande Mataram.
• 🤝 Congress ultimately "compromised" on Vande Mataram, framing it as a move for social harmony, but PM Modi asserted it was due to political pressure.

Politics of Appeasement

• ⚖️ PM Modi stated that Congress bowed to the Muslim League's pressure, characterizing this as a tactic of appeasement politics.
• 📉 He linked this initial compromise on Vande Mataram to Congress's eventual acceptance of India's partition.
• 🔄 PM Modi claimed that the politics of appeasement by Congress has continued for decades, with current allies still creating controversy around Vande Mataram.