New Delhi, December 09, 2025. – In a Lok Sabha debate, PM Modi addressed Trinamool MP Saugata Roy's objection regarding his use of 'Bankim Da' instead of 'Bankim Babu'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address in the Lok Sabha, which opened a discussion on the 150th anniversary of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’, took a brief detour into a linguistic debate. The exchange arose after the Prime Minister referred to the song’s composer and renowned Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as “Bankim Da.”
Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy quickly objected, stating that “Da”—a term commonly used by Bengalis to address peers or older brothers—was too informal for a cultural figure of Bankim Chandra’s stature. “You are saying ‘Bankim Da’? You should say ‘Bankim Babu,'” Roy remarked.
PM Modi acknowledged the correction, saying, “I will say Bankim Babu. Thank you, I respect your sentiments,” before adding with a touch of humor, “I can call you dada, right? Or do you have an objection to that too?” The Prime Minister then continued with his remarks on ‘Vande Mataram’, highlighting its significance during India’s freedom struggle.
He described the song as more than just a call for political liberation, referring to it as a “sacred war cry to rid ‘Bharat Mata’ (motherland) of the remnants of colonial rule.” PM Modi noted that the British colonial administration had been so threatened by the song’s influence that they imposed legal restrictions on singing or printing it, enforcing severe penalties to suppress its use.
Furthermore, he launched a pointed critique of the Congress party, alleging that it once fractured the national song under pressure from the Muslim League and “knelt before them.” PM Modi remarked that the British had long employed a Divide-and-Rule strategy, with Bengal being their first target.
“That was a time when Bengal’s strength inspired the country. In 1905, when the British divided Bengal, ‘Vande Mataram’ stood like a rock. ‘Street to street’ was the slogan for Bengal’s unity, and that slogan continued to inspire,” he added. The ongoing parliamentary discussion aims to emphasize the historical importance and enduring legacy of ‘Vande Mataram’ in India’s Independence movement, with a total of 10 hours allocated for the debate, which will also take place in the Rajya Sabha.