Chandigarh, February 27 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday alleged that the Congress had curtailed the 'Vande Mataram' song, bowing to the Muslim League, and accused the party of continuing its appeasement politics even seven decades after independence.
He said that 'Vande Mataram' showed us a new path and infused new energy into India's freedom movement.
Saini said that the 'Vande Mataram' song awakened the spirit of freedom and became the basic mantra of independence by inspiring people to rise against the British empire.
The CM was replying to a debate on the motion of thanks to the governor's address in the state Assembly.
He launched a sharp attack on former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, accusing him and the Congress of curtailing the national song by bowing to the Muslim League.
Meanwhile, Congress MLAs staged a brief walkout from the House.
Saini said that under the pressure of the Muslim League, the Congress promoted appeasement politics.
Attempts were made to undermine the spirit of 'Vande Mataram', he alleged.
The younger generation needs to be aware of these things, so that such injustice does not occur with the nation's soul in the future, he said.
Saini mentioned about Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League, who had first voiced his opposition to 'Vande Mataram' on October 15, 1937.
Saini said that after this, Nehru wrote to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, sharing Jinnah's sentiments and observing that 'Vande Mataram's' 'Anandmath' background had the potential to "irritate the Muslims".
He highlighted the historical, cultural, and emotional significance of the national song and targeted the opposition Congress.
Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the song, which has completed 150 years, was adopted as India's national song in 1950.
The national song was not merely a composition but the driving force of the freedom movement and a source of inspiration and patriotism for India's freedom fighters, Saini said.