Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address in the Lok Sabha on Monday, marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, saw a brief but lively exchange after he referred to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as “Bankim Da.”
The remark prompted TMC MP Sougata Roy to interrupt, pointing out that “Da” is an informal, brotherly term in Bengali, while “Babu” is the appropriate honorary title for the 19th-century author of the national song.
Modi paused and acknowledged the correction with humour, saying, “Alright, you want me to say Bankim Babu – fine, thank you. I respect your sentiments.”
He repeated “Bankim Babu” several times before quipping, “I can call you ‘dada’, right? Otherwise you’ll object to that as well.”
The light-hearted exchange briefly eased the otherwise heated atmosphere surrounding the ongoing Vande Mataram debate.
