Vande Mataram means ‘I bow to thee, mother’. But do we truly respect the motherland we salute?
Were we taking Vande Mataram seriously when 9 of our cities were among the 10 most polluted cities in the world?
Were we taking it seriously when the Aravalli mountain range, one of our country’s critical ecological shields, was being destroyed?
Were we taking it seriously when we burst crackers, polluted the air, and scared and sometimes killed animals and birds in the name of celebration?
Were we taking it seriously when we allowed corrupt politicians to rule us? When politicians abandoned their ideology, crossed party lines and destroyed the basic tenets of democracy simply to remain in power, were we still respecting our motherland?
Were we taking Vande Mataram seriously when a little child goes to bed hungry while those in power remained busy supporting families who could spend in a single day what an average Indian may not spend in a lifetime?
And were we taking it seriously when rapists roamed free while rape victims were hurriedly cremated, sometimes before their families and the nation could even demand justice?
Perhaps the real debate about Vande Mataram should begin here.
Not with how loudly we sing it.
Not with how aggressively we demand that others sing it.
But with how honestly we live by what it means.
Let us debate Vande Mataram later.
First, let us respect the motherland we salute.
Vande Mataram.
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