Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday opened a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ – on the occasion of its 150th anniversary.
During his remarks, PM Modi, on one occasion, referred to the song’s composer, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, as ‘Bankim Da.’ However, the mention drew an immediate objection from Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Saugat Roy, who said the prime minister should use “Bankim Babu” instead.
PM Modi was quick to respond. He said: “I’ll say Bankim Baba. Thank you, I respect your feelings,” before joking: “Can I call you dada or is that a problem too?”
Da vs Babu in Lok Sabha
‘Da’ is a short form of ‘dada’ meaning elder brother, informally used for someone older, known or respected in a friendly way. Calling someone “Bankim Da” is friendly and familiar.
“Babu” on the other hand is formal and respectful and historically used for educated, respected gentlemen. It is sometimes referred to as a sarcastic reference to the colonial-era Bangalis intellectual who attempted to “adapt” to British culture, earning him a reputation as an aspirant to the so-called Babu culture.
What did PM Modi say?
During his speech PM Modi said that after the rebellion of 1857, the British used Bengal as a testing ground for their divisive strategy of “divide and rule” because they believed that weakening Bengal would eventually weaken the entire nation.
Can I call you dada or is that a problem too?
He also referred to the partition of Bengal in 1905. PM Modi said:Vande Mataram” became a unifying slogan for Bengal and later inspired Swadeshi movementthough the British banned the song and punished those who sang or published it.
“Bengal was partitioned but the Swadeshi movement rose. Vande Mataram resonated across the country. Bankim created through his song bhaav vishwa. The British banned Vande Mataram. Chanting or publishing or even uttering the words of Vande Mataram can result in punishment,” PM Modi said, opening a debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing winter session of parliament.
