Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, speaking in the Lok Sabha’s Vande Mataram debate, said the government has raised the issue for just “two reasons”: upcoming West Bengal elections and a desire to keep the country “living in the past” instead of addressing present and future problems. She accused the Modi government of using the national song to polarise and divert attention from issues like unemployment and economic distress, while insisting that Vande Mataram is “part of India’s soul” and should not be turned into an election tool.