“Yeh Himmat Hogayi” Rajnath Singh Loses Cool at Opposition MPs During Lok Sabha Speech

New Delhi: A heated exchange erupted in the Lok Sabha on Monday when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while delivering a strong speech on “Vande Mataram”, lost his temper after repeated interruptions from Opposition MPs.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh loses temper at Opposition MPs during the Vande Mataram debate in the Lok Sabha, prompting Speaker Om Birla to calm both sides.

A video from inside the House shows Opposition members urging him to stop mid-speech, prompting Singh to respond angrily:“Kaun baithanewala hai? Kaun baithayega?” (Who is going to make me sit?).He continued, “Kya baat kar rahe ho… baith! Yeh himmat hogayi?” (What are you saying? Sit! How dare you?).

For nearly half a minute, the Defence Minister remained visibly upset, while several BJP MPs shouted back at Opposition members for allegedly asking the minister to sit down. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla eventually intervened, gesturing to both sides to stay calm.

Criticism of Congress Over ‘Vande Mataram’

Continuing his speech, Rajnath Singh accused the Congress of “fragmenting” the national song due to appeasement politics dating back to Jawaharlal Nehru’s era.

“Restoring the glory of Vande Mataram is not only a matter of pride but of morality,” Singh said, alleging that the national anthem received preferential treatment over the national song.

He added that the controversy surrounding Vande Mataram was not an isolated incident but “marked the beginning of appeasement politics”, asserting that the original song and the book Anand Math were never “anti-Islam”, but symbolised resistance against the Nawab of Bengal and British rule. He urged citizens to rediscover the forgotten stanzas of the song, calling them the “essence of India”.

PM Modi’s Remarks in Parliament

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the debate, highlighting Vande Mataram’s role in the freedom struggle.

“Vande Mataram was not just a mantra for political independence — it was a war cry to liberate Bharatmata from colonialism,” he said, adding that the country was witnessing a historic moment as the song completes 150 years.

PM Modi criticised the Congress for its approach to the national song during the 1975 Emergency and referred to a 1937 party session where, according to him, significant stanzas were dropped.

Congress Responds

Replying to the debate, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of highlighting the controversy ahead of the upcoming Bengal Assembly elections and of avoiding real national issues.

She said the BJP was “selectively quoting Jawaharlal Nehru” and suggested that if the government wanted to list alleged criticisms of Nehru, it should set aside a dedicated time for debate and “close the chapter”.

“Let us use the precious time of this Parliament for the work people elected us for,” Priyanka Gandhi said.