New Delhi, Aug. 12: Recalling the Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ defining place in India’s freedom movement, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said the national song Vande Mataram inspired the struggle against colonial rule as he launched a special Har Ghar Tiranga bike rally in New Delhi ahead of Independence Day celebrations.
The Vice President flagged off the rally from Bharat Mandapam along with Members of Parliament as part of the Ministry of Culture’s Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, which this year also commemorates the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. During his address, he drew attention to the historic significance of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, recalling his earlier visit to Flag Point where he inaugurated the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign by hoisting the national flag.
Radhakrishnan noted that Flag Point marks the site where freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose hoisted the Tricolour on December 30, 1943, declaring the Andaman and Nicobar Islands free from British rule.
Reflecting on the significance of Vande Mataram, the Vice President said the national song became a powerful force that inspired Indians during the freedom struggle. He described India’s independence movement as an awakening of the nation’s mind, spirit and consciousness, saying it united people across regions, languages, faiths and social backgrounds around the shared aspiration of freedom. According to him, no other expression captured that awakening as powerfully as Vande Mataram.
The bike rally witnessed participants carrying the national flag, symbolising support for national unity and progress. Several Members of Parliament also urged citizens to participate in the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
BJP MP Yogender Chandolia said Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and youth were participating in the rally and expressed confidence that the event would carry a message of national unity across the country.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj described the Tricolour as more than the national flag, calling it a symbol of the resolve, aspirations and ambitions of 1.4 billion Indians. She said the rally honoured the sacrifices of freedom fighters while recognising the responsibility of the younger generation in shaping the nation’s future.
Launched under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative, the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign encourages citizens to bring the national flag into their homes and hoist it during Independence Day celebrations. The initiative seeks to strengthen people’s personal connection with the Tiranga while reinforcing a shared commitment to nation-building and national unity.
This year’s Har Ghar Tiranga campaign has been dedicated to the spirit of 150 years of Vande Mataram, celebrating patriotism, pride in the national flag and devotion to the motherland reflected in India’s national song.
