Vande Mataram was not taught in our school; I do not know the full song; I can only guess the meaning of it approximately. I do not know the history behind the song; I was not aware that it is 100 years old;
I only know the recent history that it has become a political football between so called nationalistic parties who feel that it is a 'national song' but did not ensure that it is sung in all schools and instituitions in states where they have been in power for quite some time. I am not sure whether it is sung in all schools in Gujarat where the so called nationalist parties have been in power for more than a decade. I do not know of any attempt made by them to get the song sung in most of the other states too!
Even the present HRD minister tried to get political gains by trying to get it sung! It is a shame that instead of getting a patriotic feeling that unites the country, such stunts by our politicial leaders for and against the national song only tends to divide the country rather than unite - which is what a national song should be doing!
