Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday flagged off the Har Ghar Tiranga Bike Rally with Members of Parliament and other public representatives at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, commemorating 150 years of the National Song, Vande Mataram.
The rally proceeded from Bharat Mandapam to Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, carrying the message of national pride, unity and citizen participation.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President said Vande Mataram transformed love for the motherland into a national duty and became a powerful expression of India’s freedom struggle. He recalled that its words inspired generations of freedom fighters with courage, sacrifice and hope.
Recalling his recent visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Radhakrishnan said his visit to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island and the historic Cellular Jail was deeply moving. He recalled Netaji’s hoisting of the Tricolour in 1943 and the sacrifices of freedom fighters imprisoned in the Cellular Jail, many of whom faced the gallows with the cry of Vande Mataram.
The Vice-President also highlighted the contribution of freedom fighters and leaders from Tamil Nadu, including V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, Subramaniya Siva, Tiruppur Kumaran and Vanchinathan, as well as national poet Subramania Bharati, in carrying the spirit and message of Vande Mataram to the people.
He said the Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, has evolved into a people’s movement, with citizens participating in Tiranga Yatras, bike and cycle rallies, cultural programmes and other activities.
Radhakrishnan said the Tricolour gives a visible form to the feeling of one Motherland. He urged Members of Parliament and public representatives to promote the campaign in their constituencies and inspire citizens to hoist the National Flag with pride.
