Priyanka Gandhi Counters Centre During Vande Mataram Debate in Lok Sabha
New Delhi, 9th December 2025: A special discussion marking 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ in the Lok Sabha on Monday saw sharp political exchanges, with Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra countering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks and accusing the government of using the occasion for electoral gains.
The ten-hour debate began with the Prime Minister’s address, in which he targeted the Congress on various historical and political issues.
Responding during her speech, Priyanka Gandhi said the BJP was approaching the event with an election mindset, while the Congress was committed to the nation’s interests. “Even if we lose many elections, we will still sit here and continue to fight you and your ideology. We will fight for our nation. You cannot stop us,” she said.
Priyanka Gandhi Flags Timing, Questions Intent
Priyanka Gandhi alleged that the government had timed the debate ahead of the West Bengal elections, suggesting political motives behind the event. She argued that the discussion seemed designed to set the narrative before the polls. “The Prime Minister wants to set the stage ahead of the elections,” she remarked.
She also accused the Centre of attempting to raise new questions about the legacy of freedom fighters to divert attention from issues affecting citizens. “By creating new controversies, the government hopes to distract the country from matters that truly concern the people,” she said.
Challenges PM Modi’s Claims
Responding to the Prime Minister’s comments, Priyanka Gandhi said that while Narendra Modi delivers compelling speeches, the “facts often don’t hold up”. “For him, presenting selective facts is an art. But I’m not here to perform, I’m here to represent the people,” she added.
She also questioned his omission regarding the historical context of ‘Vande Mataram’. Modi had said Rabindranath Tagore first sang the song in 1896 but did not specify the venue. Priyanka clarified that it was sung at a Congress session. “Why leave out that detail?” she asked, implying that the omission was intentional.
