Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday began the Lok Sabha debate commemorating 150 years of Vande Mataram. The discussion comes amid political arguments after the PM reiterated that the Congress had removed key verses from the song in 1937, a move he claimed contributed to the environment that later led to India’s partition.

The government has allocated ten hours for the debate in the Lok Sabha and three hours for NDA members. The discussion will continue in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, where Union home minister Amit Shah is expected to lead.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh countered the PM’s remarks, saying the 1937 decision was taken collectively by the Congress Working Committee—which then included Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, and Maulana Azad.

Multiple parties, including the BJP, Congress, and regional allies, are participating in the debate meant to highlight the historical significance and evolving interpretation of the national song.