Revise class 4 history: TMC on Anurag’s ‘Vande Bharat’ gaffe

Kolkata: Revise class 4 history before speaking in public, said Trinamool Congress on Wednesday, taking aim at BJP MP Anurag Thakur after the former Union minister said Vande Bharat instead of Vande Mataram at least twice during Mondays Lok Sabha debate on the song by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.

Are they patriots at all? TMC questioned on its X handle, before adding: People who cant even say ‘Vande Mataram without turning it into ‘Vande Bharat— with what audacity do they lecture the nation on patriotism and nationalism? TMC said it was not a mere slip of the tongue by Thakur, but BJPs trademark ignorance in full display.

When PM Narendra Modi himself demeans Bengals icons by calling them ‘Bankim-da, when history is distorted from the top, the disciples will naturally follow, TMC said, adding: This is not patriotism. This is a mockery of Indias heritage. Shameful! PM Modi, during a debate in the Lok Sabha on ‘Vande Mataram, had referred to Bankim Chandra as ‘Bankimda after which TMC called him culturally illiterate and BJP grotesquely alien to Bengals culture. Trinamool veteran MP Saugata Roy intervened 23 minutes into the PMs speech, telling him that it should have been not da (but) babu. TMC had called the PMs comments insulting (and) patronising.

Trinamool Krishnagore MP Mahua Moitra said that BJP raised the Vande Mataram issue as a distraction, but ended up humiliating our greats. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, Entire BJP has no idea whom to call ‘dada and whom to call ‘babu— the very ethos of Bengali culture. It is thus no surprise that their MPs speak in this manner.

TMC MP Saket Gokhale claimed this was a result of BJPs obsession with Modi. The BJP is so obsessed with Modi that ‘Vande Mataram has become ‘Vande Bharat. Modi for them is above everything, including the nation, Gokhale wrote on X.

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