Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the Lok Sabha debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram on Monday, kicking off a fiery discussion expected to draw participation from senior members of both the government and the opposition.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be the second speaker in the Lok Sabha debate. Congress deputy leader in the House Gaurav Gogoi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also slated to speak, with officials saying the discussion is expected to bring forth “many important and unknown facets” of the national song.

The Lower House has set aside 10 hours for the debate titled “Discussion on the 150th anniversary of national song Vande Mataram,” which forms part of the government’s year-long commemoration of the iconic poem composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterj

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