Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sought to correct a cultural misstep and connect with Bengal’s sentiment by referring to iconic litterateur Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as “Bankim Babu,” days after drawing sharp criticism for calling him “Bankim Da” during a speech in Parliament.

The earlier remark had triggered strong reactions, particularly from the Trinamool Congress, which accused Modi of betraying a lack of understanding of Bengal’s cultural ethos and emotional vocabulary.

In Bengal’s social and literary tradition, the honorific “Babu” carries a distinct historical and cultural resonance, especially when associated with figures such as Bankim Chandra, revered as a cultural patriarch and the composer of “Vande Mataram.”

Addressing a public programme at Taherpur, Modi appeared keen to repair the damage and reassert the BJP’s claim of cultural rootedness in the state.

Invoking Bengal’s spiritual and social traditions, he described Nadia district as a sacred land of love and devotion.

“Nadia is such a land where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared as an icon of love and devotion, where kirtan is sung not merely as a ritual but as a symbol of social unity,”
he said.

Quoting from a well-known kirtan, Modi said: “Hori naam diye jagat matale, amar
ekla Nitai.”

Modi said the spirit of that devotional humanism continues to live in the soil of Nadia. He went on to say that the idea of social welfare had long been nurtured in the region, particularly through the teachings of Matua spiritual leaders Shri Harichand Thakur and Shri Guruchand Thakur.

Positioning his remarks within a broader political context ahead of next year’s Assembly elections, Modi sought to counter Trinamool’s repeated charge that the BJP is an “outsider” force in Bengal.

“Bengal and the Bengali language have extraordinarily enriched India’s culture, and the Centre is fully committed to the development of West Bengal,” he said.

The Prime Minister also invoked “Vande Mataram,” describing it as a guiding mantra for nation-building in the 21st century and for the vision of a “Viksit Bharat.”

Noting that the country is observing the 150th anniversary of the national song, he underlined its origins in Bengal. “Bengal and the Bengali language have always enriched Indian culture. ‘Vande Mataram’ is a priceless contribution. The nation is celebrating 150 years of this immortal song. Parliament has recently commemorated its glory. Bengal is the soil of this immortal composition penned by Bankim Babu,” Modi said, explicitly correcting his earlier reference.

“Vande Mataram awakened national consciousness during British rule. Even today, we must make ‘Vande Mataram’ our mantra,” he added.