New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday alleged that crucial stanzas of Vande Mataram were removed in 1937, accusing the then Congress leadership of “breaking the song into pieces” and weakening its unifying spirit. Speaking at the 150-year commemoration of the national song at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Modi said the verses praising Maa Durga were deliberately excluded, calling the move a “historic mistake” that “sowed the seeds of division.”

The Prime Minister described Vande Mataram as a “mantra of unity and courage,” symbolising India’s enduring strength and devotion to the motherland. He said the song had long served as an anthem of inspiration for India’s youth and freedom fighters. ADVERTISEMENT

Earlier, BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan cited letters written

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