You can't litter and insult Mother India then chant 'Vande Mataram': Modi

New Delhi: A person has no right to chant Vande Mataram if he does not care about cleanliness and disrespects Mother India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he urged people to fight against social evils.

He underlined the need for social changes and said, “follow the rule and India will rule” during a students’ convention marking the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address and Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya’s centenary celebrations.

Modi wondered whether people who littered and dirtied the country had any right to the nationalist slogan.

“As I entered, I heard people loudly chanting Vande Mataram... I am asking all countrymen whether we have the right to chant Vande Mataram. I know this will hurt many people. We chew paan and spit it out on Mother India (Bharat Mata par pichakaari mare) and then chant Vande Mataram. Throw garbage and then chant Vande Mataram. The sanitation workers have the first right to say Vande Mataram,” he said.