Why Akhilesh Yadav said Vande Mataram is not just for singing
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that people of the ideology who never participated in the freedom movement are now making big claims about 'Vande Mataram' and the freedom movement.
“The song is not a badge to display, nor a political weapon,” he remarked, accusing ruling party members of behaving as though they had authored the verse.
Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, Yadav said that those in power today want to embrace every good thing in which they had no involvement whatsoever. He said that those who worked to divide the country are again creating divisions in society.
Akhilesh said that those who call themselves ardent 'nationalists' are actually 'anti-nationalists'. Such people continue to stir up various kinds of controversies.
'Vande Mataram is not just for singing'
He said that Vande Mataram is a song that awakened millions of people, gave them new energy and strength. Their enthusiasm frightened the British, and even students who sang Vande Mataram were branded traitors and imprisoned. He said that Vande Mataram is not just for singing; its spirit should also be embraced.
He said that those who are making big claims about Vande Mataram today should explain when people associated with their ideology sang Vande Mataram before independence. They should explain when they started displaying Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar's picture in their programs or election rallies.
SP Chief said that the BJP started displaying pictures of the Constitution's architect only after the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav said that as of today, the ruling party should explain when Indigo flights will become regular. He asked who will answer for the closure of 26,000 schools in Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav also accused ruling party of trying to appropriate national icons
Yadav also accused the treasury benches of trying to appropriate national icons. “Time and again, we have seen attempts to claim leaders who never belonged to them,” he stated.
He stressed that even if people do not recall the song in its entirety, the words Vande Mataram hold emotional power and evoke pride. “It is in our hearts,” he said, adding that the song’s strength lay in its capacity to bring people together.
Calling for respect on the 150th anniversary, Yadav said the legacy of Vande Mataram should not be used to pressure anyone or enforce conformity. Instead, he said, it should be honoured for uniting India in its struggle to break free from colonial rule.