Debate on Vande Mataram an attempt to divert attention from economic issues: Opposition

The Opposition on Tuesday (December 9, 2025) demanded that the Union Government take up for discussion in Parliament economic and livelihood issues rather than dwelling on topics to “divert” the attention of people from real issues.

“When there are economic challenges in front of the country, then to have a political discussion on the national song Vande Mataram is just an attempt to divert attention,” said Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, during a debate on 150 years of the National Song.

Mr. Kharge said Parliament can pay true homage to Bharat Mata by discussing and resolving the issues of common people. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was discussing Vande Mataram, keeping the West Bengal election in mind. Mr. Kharge said the discussion on Vande Mataram was to divert the people’s attention from the real challenges, such as economic issues, rising unemployment, and depreciation in the value of the rupee, and several social issues.

He said the country’s influence on neighbouring countries is decreasing and China’s influence is increasing. “Nepal is demanding investment from China. Bangladesh, with China and Pakistan, is participating in trilateral meetings. Beijing is openly pulling South Asia towards itself under its strategic plan,” he said. The Congress chief alleged that the Prime Minister does not say a word against China.

Mr. Kharge said that during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance, the rupee was valued at ₹55-60 against the U.S. dollar and at present it is at ₹90. “It’s just like someone has ‘fallen from the Himalayas’,” he said.

He said it had become a habit of the BJP to abuse the Congress and to target Jawaharlal Nehru and spoil his image, “which is impossible as he is the tallest leader of this country”.

“Stop spreading lies and slamming national leaders to cover up your own failures. Learn to respect the leaders who built the Constitution and the leaders who sacrificed everything for our country’s independence,” he said.

DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said the government should also acknowledge the contributions of freedom fighters from South India. He urged the Centre to dedicate the next warship to the memory of freedom fighter Chempakaraman Pillai. Mr. Siva said Pillai coined the slogan Jai Hind, which was later popularised by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and the new generation does not know about the contributions of such unsung heroes of the freedom struggle.

RJD member A.D. Singh said Vande Mataram was not created by the BJP. CPI(M) MP V. Sivadasan said the national song talks about Bharat Mata, who is a poor woman, struggling to feed millions of her children.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the BJP was not giving respect to the motherland as it was trying to hide its failures in the garb of nationalism. “The government is just trying to hide its failures and crimes behind the sloganeering,” he said. “We will not allow any government in this country to plunder in the name of slogans like Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata ki Jai. The government does not want to discuss matters like unemployment, price rise,” he said.