PM Modi shifts to 'Bankim babu' as TMC objects to 'Bankim da' reference

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the author of Vande Mataram, as 'Bankim da' was objected to by the Trinamool Congress on Monday, prompting him to add the more respectful suffix 'babu' to the legendary poet's name.

Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy, during the debate on 150 years of national song Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, asked the prime minister to use the suffix 'babu' while referring to Chatterjee.

"I will say Bankim Babu. Thank you, I respect your sentiments," the prime minister said.

In a lighter vein, Modi quickly asked whether he could still refer to Roy as 'dada'.

"I can call you dada, right? Or you have an objection to that, too," the prime minister said.

Earlier, the prime minister had asked about Roy's well-being when the Trinamool Congress member had made some remarks at the start of the debate.

Roy is the fifth term Lok Sabha member from Dum Dum constituency in West Bengal.