Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that removing key verses from the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ in 1937 had sown the seeds for India’s partition.

Speaking at an event marking 150 years of the national song, the Prime Minister said that "the same divisive mindset" which caused that decision still poses challenges for the country today.

"In 1937, significant verses of 'Vande Mataram', the very essence of its spirit, were removed. Stanzas of 'Vande Mataram' were broken up. This removal sowed the seeds for the eventual partition of the country. Today's generation needs to understand why such injustice was committed against this great mantra of nation-building. Because that same divisive mindset continues to pose a major challenge for the nation even today," the Prime Minister said.

He said that ‘Vande Mataram’ has achieved "immortality" and continues to inspire people even today. He called it a song that united Indians during the freedom struggle and gave strength to those who fought for independence.

"We have to make this century India's century. This capability exists in India, and it exists in 140 crore Indians. And for this, we will have to believe in ourselves," he added.

Modi also highlighted India’s age-old belief of viewing the nation as a mother, rooted in the country’s Vedic traditions. He said this idea reflects how Indians see their land as a source of creation, nurturing, and protection, and he praised the important role of women in shaping the nation’s progress.

His comments came after BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan accused the Congress of changing the national song in 1937 by removing verses that praised Goddess Durga. Kesavan claimed the decision was made under Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership to appease certain groups, and that only the first two stanzas were accepted, leaving out later verses that invoked Maa Durga.

Prime Minister Modi said that the song ‘Vande Bharat’ has also attained "immortality" and continues to hold meaning across generations.

"Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore once said that Bankim Chandra's 'Anandmath' is not just a novel. It is a dream of an independent India. Every word written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, not Bankim Babu, had deep meaning. This song was created during the time of slavery, but it is not limited to that time... The Vande Bharat song is relevant in every era. It has attained immortality. One-fourth share of global GDP was held by India just a few centuries ago," he said.

"In 1875, when Bankim Babu published 'Vande Mataram' in 'Bang Darshan', some people thought it was just a song. But in no time, 'Vande Mataram' became the voice of India's freedom struggle. A voice that was on the tongue of every revolutionary, a voice that expressed the emotions of every Indian! When freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar, living outside Bharat, met each other, their greeting was always Vande Mataram. Many revolutionaries, even while standing on the gallows, said Vande Mataram," the PM added.

He said that India’s idea of the nation as a mother makes it unique in the world.

"For those who consider the nation as a geopolitical entity, the idea of viewing the nation as a mother might seem surprising. But India is different; in India, the mother is both the creator and the nurturer. And if a crisis befalls the child, the mother becomes the 'destroyer' as well. Our Vedas have taught us that the nation is our mother and we are her children... We have worshipped our nation in this form since the Vedic period... The notion that a nation can be a mother can be surprising for those who view nations as geopolitical entities. But India is different. Here, a nation is also the one that gives birth and nurtures... She is also a destroyer if a child is in danger... Because of this emotion of considering the nation as mother and a form of Shakti, mahila shakti was forefront in building the nation..." the PM stated.