West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday voiced strong concern over reports that MPs were allegedly being discouraged from saying “Jai Hind” and “Vande Mataram” inside Parliament.
Speaking after garlanding a statue of B.R. Ambedkar on Red Road, Banerjee said she had come across media claims suggesting that patriotic slogans were not being permitted in the House and sought clarity from Trinamool Congress MPs.
“I do not know whether this is true, and I will ask the MPs,” she said, questioning whether such restrictions were aimed at undermining West Bengal’s cultural identity.
“Vande Mataram is our national song. It was the protest line of the freedom fighters. How can it be forgotten? Do they want to destroy the identity of Bengal?” she asked.
Banerjee emphasised that Bengal has always stood for democracy, secularism, unity and diversity. “Bangla is very much part of India, and we are proud of our heritage and our democratic values,” she added.
Her remarks come against the backdrop of a 2024 Rajya Sabha Secretariat advisory that reminded members not to use slogans like “Vande Mataram” and “Jai Hind” inside or outside the House to maintain decorum, describing them as a breach of parliamentary etiquette.
