What Led PM Modi Shift to 'Bankim Babu' From 'Bankim Da' to Refer Vande Mataram Composer in Lok Sabha?

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shifted to suffix ‘Babu’ to refer celebrated Bengali poet Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the composer of India’s national song Vande Mataram after his ‘Bankim

Da’ reference was objected by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy.This light-hearted exchange between PM Modi and TMC MP took place during the Winter Session of the Parliament as the Lok Sabha debated on 150 years of India’s national song ‘Vande Mataram’.It happened when the Prime Minister while speaking on the subject referred to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as ‘Bankim Da’ to which the TMC MP objected and asked PM to use a more respectful suffix such as ‘Bankim Babu’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M28N6ZwPB-I

The Prime Minister responded to TMC MP saying, “I will say Bankim Babu. Thank you, I respect your sentiments.”In a lighter vein, Modi quickly asked whether he could still refer to Roy as 'dada'."I can call you dada, right? Or you have an objection to that, too," the prime minister said.Earlier, the prime minister had asked about Roy's well-being when the Trinamool Congress member had made some remarks at the start of the debate.Roy is the fifth term Lok Sabha member from Dum Dum constituency in West Bengal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTkp7t4NUC4 PM Modi Accuses Congress of Breaking Vande Mataram into Pieces Earlier today, PM accused the Congress of breaking into pieces national song Vande Mataram under the guise of social harmony, and said it was still following the politics of appeasement.He also targeted former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for agreeing with the suggestion that Vande Mataram could antagonise Muslims.Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on Vande Mataram, Modi cited a letter written by Nehru to Subhash Chandra Bose claiming that the background of Vande Mataram could antagonise Muslims.He said the letter was written following a protest by Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Lucknow.Quoting the letter, Modi said, Nehru had written that he had read the background of the song and it could spark anger amongst Muslims.Modi said later Congress convened a session in "Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's Bengal" to review the use of Vande Mataram."But, on October 26, Congress compromised on Vande Mataram. They broke it into pieces under the mask of social harmony, but history is witness... This was Congress' attempt at politics of appeasement. Under pressure of politics of appeasement, Congress agreed to divide Vande Mataram.. this is the reason Congress also bowed to the demand for partition..," Modi alleged.The prime minister said history is a testament to the fact that Congress knelt before the Muslim League and did this under pressure.With inputs from PTI