'Vande Mataram' thread that can unite society amid increasing 'tendency to divide', says Hosabale

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale remembered Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who penned 'Vande Mataram', on the 150th anniversary of the composition of the national song on Saturday and called on people to internalise its spirit as the "tendency to divide" is "increasing" in society.

The RSS second-in-command said 'Vande Mataram' is the song of the nation's soul and it has the power to create in society the feeling of dedication towards the nation due to its "divine influence" even after 150 years of its composition.

"Today, when the tendency to divide on the basis of narrow-mindedness, such as region, language and caste, etc, is increasing, 'Vande Mataram' is the thread that can unite society," he said in a statement in Hindi.

Hosabale said the national song has found universal acceptance across regions, societies and languages in India.

"Even today, it serves as a powerful foundation for society's national consciousness, cultural identity and sense of unity.

"At this sacred time of reviving national consciousness and nation-building, the spirit of this great mantra must be internalised," he said.

The RSS general secretary said Vande Mataram became the mantra of patriotism and the nation's soul after Rabindranath Tagore sang it in 1896.

He said the pervasiveness of this mantra can be understood from the fact that many scholars and great personalities of the country, such as Maharishi Aurobindo, Madam Bhikaji Cama, great poet Subramanyam Bharti, Lala Hardayal, Lala Lajpat Rai and others added 'Vande Mataram' to the titles of their newspapers and magazines.

Mahatma Gandhi also concluded his letters with 'Vande Mataram' for many years, he added.

"On the auspicious occasion of the 150th anniversary of the composition of Vande Mataram, the wonderful mantra that worships the motherland and instils consciousness in the entire nation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh gratefully remembers and pays tribute to the author of the national song, the revered Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay," Hosabale said.

Tagore mesmerised listeners by singing 'Vande Mataram', which was composed in 1875, at the Congress National Convention in 1896, he said.

"Since then, this song has become not only a mantra of patriotism but also a national proclamation, the voice of national consciousness and the soul of the nation," he said.

Thereafter, 'Vande Mataram' became the slogan of all warriors of India's freedom struggle, including the Partition of Bengal movement, Hosabale said.

"On the completion of 150 years of composition of 'Vande Mataram', the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh appeals to the entire society, including swayamsevaks, to become active in nation-building based on the idea of 'swa' (selfhood) and enthusiastically participate in the programmes, to be organised on this occasion, taking inspiration from the national song," he said. PTI PK DIV DIV