Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a fierce counterattack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha on Monday, defending Jawaharlal Nehru during a discussion to mark the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. She pointed out that Nehru spent nearly nine years—over 3,200 days—in British jails for India’s freedom, a duration almost equal to the 12 years Modi has served as prime minister, yet the BJP continues to relentlessly criticise the nation’s first premier.

“Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru lived for this country and died serving this country,” the Wayanad MP declared, listing foundational institutions laid by Nehru that remain pillars of modern India. “If he had not established ISRO, there would be no Mangalyaan; if he had not founded DRDO, there would be no Tejas fighter jet; if he had not set up IITs and IIMs, India would not lead in IT today; if he had not created AIIMS and other public hospitals, how would we have faced a challenge like Covid?” she asked, earning loud applause from the Opposition benches.

Priyanka Gandhi challenged the ruling party to stop selective historical attacks and instead use Parliament’s time for pressing present-day issues. “Make a list of insults for Jawaharlal Nehru—whether 999 or 9,999—we are ready. Fix a date, and we will debate Nehru, Indira ji, Rajiv ji, dynasty politics, and everything for as many hours as you want. But once that chapter is closed, let us discuss unemployment, price rises, and the real problems of the people who elected us,” she said.

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The Congress leader also questioned the timing of the special discussion on Vande Mataram, alleging it was orchestrated to divert attention from governance failures and to polarise voters ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. “This debate has been organised because elections are coming in Bengal, and the government wants to hide today’s reality,” she charged.

Her sharp rebuttal came hours after Prime Minister Modi, in the same discussion, accused Nehru of compromising on Vande Mataram by dropping certain stanzas under pressure from the Muslim League—a charge Priyanka dismissed as part of the BJP’s habitual “Nehru-bashing” to deflect from current challenges.

The exchange turned the commemorative session on the national song into yet another ideological flashpoint between the ruling NDA and the Opposition, with both sides trading barbs over legacy, patriotism, and the use of cultural symbols in contemporary politics.

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