Bankim Chandra’s family decries Bengal govt's ‘neglect’, welcomes Modi’s tribute to ‘Vande Mataram’

Speaking to various media platforms on Monday, Bankim Chandra’s great-grandson, Sajal Chattopadhyay, said the Prime Minister’s remarks in Parliament were a “deeply respectful” acknowledgment of the author’s legacy.

The classic was written in November 1875 and quickly evolved into a rallying anthem for India’s freedom movement.

“The Centre respects Bankim Chandra Chattopadhay. They call us and seek our input, but the Bengal government neglects Bankim Chandra. I don't know what their problem is, but despite using 'Vande Mataram', they don't do enough for Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay," he said.

He added that the Central government’s gesture was “commendable”, contrasting it with the “neglect” he believes the West Bengal administration has shown.

The family’s comments came in the backdrop of a renewed political flashpoint around Vande Mataram, after Prime Minister Modi recently opened a debate in Parliament on the song’s 150-year legacy.

Speaking to ANI, Sajal Chattopadhyay said, "This should have happened long ago. Vande Mataram is considered the national mantra. No one has done anything for my grandfather until now. At a time when the next generation is forgetting this (Vande Mataram), what Modi ji has done is good."

"I feel proud. She (CM Mamata Banerjee) hasn't done anything yet; she should have done it earlier... If someone comes from Delhi, Amit Shah, or anyone else, they ask about us. They call us personally. We are not political people.

"We don't do politics. We only speak the truth...CM Madam hasn't invited us yet. Bankim Babu is neglected. The Vande Mataram he wrote contains the names of all the Hindu gods and goddesses, which is why it was banned. Just like Bankim Babu was neglected, his family is being neglected," he said.

Sajal Chattopadhyay also urged the state to establish Bankim Bhavans across West Bengal on the lines of Rabindra Bhavans.

“Cultural programmes are organised in Rabindra Bhavans, but there is no similar institution to uphold Bankim Chandra’s legacy,” he told IANS.

He further suggested that Vande Mataram, which is currently played instrumentally in Parliament, be performed vocally after Jana Gana Mana.

The political tussle around Vande Mataram resurfaced last month when Prime Minister Modi accused the Congress of dropping key stanzas of the song during its 1937 session in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh.

He alleged the party’s move “sowed the seeds of Partition” and fragmented the national song.

As the debate continues to dominate national discourse, the writer’s family says its primary hope is that Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay finally receives the institutional recognition they believe he has long deserved.