Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra delivered a passionate and pointed speech in the Lok Sabha on Monday during the debate marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, positioning her address as a strong rebuttal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's allegations against the Congress party.

PM Modi, had today opened the debate in the House, with a pointed critique, alleging that Congress betrayed Vande Mataram in 1937, setting off a chain of events that contributed to the Partition of India.

Speaking from the Opposition benches, Priyanka Gandhi highlighted the profound contributions of Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and other freedom fighters in popularizing Vande Mataram as a unifying symbol of India's freedom struggle and national pride. She challenged the Prime Minister's narrative that Congress had betrayed the song in 1937, asserting that it was Congress leaders who upheld the true spirit of the anthem throughout the freedom movement.

"Vande Mataram was not just a song; it was the heartbeat of our freedom movement," Priyanka Gandhi said, invoking the deep emotional and ideological connection millions of Indians had with the anthem. She praised Nehru's vision of a secular and inclusive India, underscoring that Congress championed these ideals while building democratic institutions and steering the nation through the trials of independence and early nation-building.

Addressing the Parliament directly, she dismissed attempts to politicize Vande Mataram for electoral gains. "Honoring Vande Mataram means embracing the inclusive spirit it represents, not weaponizing it for divisive politics," she asserted, implicitly countering PM Modi's earlier claims that Congress compromised the song to appease certain groups.

Priyanka Gandhi also reminded the House of Congress's historic achievements beyond the freedom struggle, including laying the foundations of democratic governance, pursuing economic reforms, and advancing social justice. She urged the nation to recognize these contributions amid the heated political debate, warning against attempts to rewrite history.

Her speech struck a chord by emphasizing unity and pluralism as the true essence of the anthem and the nation. "We owe it to the sacrifices of our leaders and countless patriots to protect India's unity and pluralism," she said, appealing to all members of Parliament to rise above partisan divides and work collaboratively for India's progress.

The address drew enthusiastic applause from Opposition members, highlighting the enduring influence of Congress's legacy in India's political discourse and setting the tone for ongoing debates about the country's historical narrative and identity.

Monday's Lok Sabha debate thus became a microcosm of India's larger political contestations, with Priyanka Gandhi's speech standing out as a robust defense of the Congress party's role in shaping India's patriotic and democratic heritage in response to PM Modi's sharp critique.