‘Congress has always been anti-women’: What Kangana Ranaut said on Vande Mataram as Lok Sabha holds special debate

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut said it was a “matter of pride” that the national song—described by her as a spark that fuelled India’s freedom movement—was finally receiving its rightful recognition. She accused the Congress of removing stanzas in the original composition that referenced Goddess Durga, alleging that the party had “always been anti-women.”

Lok Sabha held a special discussion on Vande Mataram on Monday.

“It is a matter of pride for the country that the song which rose as a spark of the freedom struggle and reduced the British empire to ashes is now receiving its due credit. The Congress government had removed the portion mentioning Goddess Durga. Congress has always been anti-women,” Ranaut told reporters outside Parliament.

Her remarks came amid repeated allegations by BJP leaders that the Congress had deliberately altered the national song. Earlier in November, BJP leader CR Kesavan claimed that stanzas invoking Goddess Durga were excluded in 1937 under Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership to appease certain communal groups. Kesavan argued that only the first two stanzas were accepted by the Congress due to “communal considerations,” triggering renewed debate on the song’s original form.

BJP MP Arun Govil echoed similar concerns, saying that Vande Mataram had been questioned repeatedly over the years. “This is why the BJP decided that everyone needs to be informed of the song. It is our culture, our pride, and our history,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJD MP Sasmit Patra described the discussion as “extremely positive,” noting that it coincides with the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. He said the song is deeply connected with the “soul and conscience” of 140 crore Indians and hoped the debate would strengthen “the idea of India.”

On the sixth day of the Parliament’s Winter Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Vande Mataram a “powerful mantra” that energised India’s freedom movement. Addressing the Lok Sabha, he said the government aims to restore its glory for future generations. “It is a matter of pride that we are witnessing 150 years of Vande Mataram. It is a historic moment,” he said.

The BJP-led NDA has been allotted three hours for its participation in the debate. A total of 10 hours have been set aside for the discussions in both Houses, with the Rajya Sabha scheduled to take up the debate on December 9.

With ANI inputs