Vande Mataram discussion unravels into ruckus in Goa Assembly

The second day of the Winter Session of the Goa Legislative Assembly on Tuesday saw stormy scenes after AAP MLA Venzy Viegas made remarks about the RSS, which were later expunged.

His remarks during a discussion in the Assembly on the 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ drew a sharp retort and protests from the Treasury benches. The remarks were subsequently expunged from the records by Deputy Speaker Joshua De Souza, who was in the Chair.

Hitting back at Viegas, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant asked him “not to distort history”.

“You should speak the truth. Do not just speak to please your leaders,” Sawant said. Later, in a post on X, Sawant said, “RSS’s contribution to India’s Independence struggle is historic. No individual has the right to question its patriotism for political appeasement.”

Earlier, Sawant had moved a motion for a discussion to commemorate the completion of 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’.

“‘Vande Mataram’ emerged as a powerful symbol of India’s freedom struggle, inspiring generations of freedom fighters and uniting the people across regions and communities in their collective aspiration for independence. Its literary excellence and emotional appeal played a decisive role in shaping India’s national consciousness. The completion of 150 years of the National Song provides an occasion to reflect upon its enduring relevance in reinforcing unity, patriotism, and constitutional values, particularly among younger generations. Accordingly, the significance of this historic milestone and the need to commemorate it in a manner befitting its contribution to India’s national awakening may be discussed in this August House,” the motion said.

During the discussion, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao of the Congress said ‘Vande Mataram’ could not be owned by the ideology of any political party, and accused the BJP government of “misusing institutions for its political agenda”.

“This government needs to sell the opium of their nationalism to hide attacks from national and international media,” Alemao said.

The BJP MLA from Poriem, Deviya Rane, said the BJP government successfully transformed the occasion of the completion of 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ into a “people’s movement”, reconnecting citizens with ideals of patriotism, unity and cultural pride. “At a time of global uncertainty, such initiatives strengthen our shared identity and remind us that despite adversity, we are bound together by a common purpose,” she said.

Pavneet Singh Chadha is the Goa Correspondent of The Indian Expre... Read More