New Delhi: Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, J.P. Nadda, on Thursday revisited the Constituent Assembly’s deliberations on the national anthem, drawing a sharp distinction between the treatment accorded to Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram.

Speaking during the ongoing debate on Vande Mataram, Nadda said that while the Assembly had set aside time to discuss and finalise Jana Gana Mana as the anthem, requests to extend similar consideration to Vande Mataram were not accepted.

Nadda argued that this reflected the reservations of the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who, according to archival records, did not regard Vande Mataram as a feasible choice for the anthem.

Quoting from Nehru’s letters, Nadda said the Congress leader believed the song was not suitable for orchestr

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