Mamata welcomes Modi’s Vande Mataram discussion in Lok Sabha

Kolkata, Dec 8 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to initiate a discussion on 'Vande Mataram' in the Lok Sabha, saying her party has no objection to it.

"Let him do it. We have no problem," Banerjee told reporters at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here before leaving for an official trip to North Bengal.

Modi, who initiated a day-long discussion on 150 years of Vande Mataram in the lower House of Parliament, noted that the song stood like a rock and inspired unity despite British oppression.

The song was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, and its tune was composed by Jadunath Bhattacharya.

Banerjee, however, referred to remarks by some BJP leaders expressing their dislike for national icons, including Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi and Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

She questioned how such leaders could claim to serve the country without understanding its history.

"Some BJP leaders are saying they do not like Netaji. You do not like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, Bankim Chandra, Vidyasagar or Raja Ram Mohan Roy, and you continue to insult them. How have they entered politics without properly knowing the history and Bengal's contribution?" she said. PTI SCH MNB