PM Modi's remarks on Bankim Chandra spark protest in Parliament, later admits mistake

Vande Mataram Controversy: Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a debate in the Lok Sabha during the winter session on Monday, marking 150 years of Vande Mataram. During this, the PM said something about Bankim Chandra that a TMC MP interrupted him for. Actually, while mentioning the composer of the national song, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Prime Minister Modi referred to him as "Bankim Da". The TMC MP objected to this and said that you are calling him Bankim Da, whereas you should say Bankim Babu.

PM accepted the mistake

Immediately after MP Saugata Roy's protest against the Prime Minister addressing Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as "Da", PM Modi accepted his mistake. He said, "Thank you, I respect your sentiments. I will say Bankim Babu." Then he said in a light-hearted manner, "I can call you Dada, can't I? Or do you have an objection to that as well?"

The real meaning of the word "Da"

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy had objected to the Prime Minister's use of the word "Da" for a cultural icon. This word "Da" is a short form of "Dada", which means "brother". This word is commonly used by Bengali people to address brothers, friends, and acquaintances. The MP stated that the Prime Minister's use of the word "Da" for a cultural icon was too informal in terms of respect.

Vande Mataram resonated

In his speech on the national song Vande Mataram, the Prime Minister also mentioned the 1905 Bengal Partition. Prime Minister Modi said that at that time "Vande Mataram" became a slogan of unity for Bengal. He said that our national song later became a song that inspired the Swadeshi movement, while the British had banned this song and those who sang or published it were punished. "Bengal was partitioned, but the Swadeshi movement gained momentum. After this, Vande Mataram resonated across the country."