New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Thursday witnessed a charged debate over the national song Vande Mataram, with Leader of the House J.P. Nadda asserting that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for altering the song under pressure from communal elements.

Nadda described Vande Mataram as a mantra of unity, recalling that freedom fighter Khudiram Bose’s last words, “Vande Mataram”, before his execution were the stirring cry of the song.

Responding to criticism from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who had alleged that the debate was aimed solely at defaming Nehru, Nadda insisted that the intention was not character assassination but to “set the record straight on history”.

He argued that leaders must accept responsibility for decisions taken during their tenure. “When you w

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