Against Islamic belief and RSS ideology: clerics call out J&K admin’s Vande Mataram mandate in Doda schools

Jammu and Kashmir administration’s circular mandating all schools in Doda district to recite the national song Vande Mataram during the morning assembly session every Monday triggered a controversy, as Muslim clerics termed the mandate a direct attack on the religious beliefs of Muslims whose faith is based on one God, while the song calls for bowing down before a deity and is viewed as an attempt to impose an RSS-driven Hindutva ideology on a Muslim-majority state in the country.

The circular, issued by the Chief Education Officer of Doda district on November 1, directed all school heads to ensure that the national song is recited every Monday during morning assemblies, The Wire reported.

It was also marked to the Deputy Commissioner of Doda, Harvinder Singh, and Jammu’s Director of School Education, Naseen Javaid Chowdhary, who were asked to ensure compliance. The circular further instructed school heads to consult experts or online resources to ensure students recite the song correctly during events.

The order has stirred strong opposition from religious leaders, including Jammu and Kashmir’s Grand Mufti, Nasir-ul-Islam, and Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who also heads the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference.

They viewed the circular as an attempt to impose cultural uniformity on a diverse population, arguing that its enforcement undermines the religious sentiments of Muslims who consider the act of bowing before any being other than God as contrary to their faith.

The clerics expressed concern that the directive amounts to coercion, alleging that it reflects efforts to promote a particular ideology associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological fountainhead of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

They said that such impositions run contrary to the principles of secularism and mutual respect enshrined in the Indian Constitution, especially in a region like Jammu and Kashmir, which has a Muslim-majority population and a complex socio-political history.

Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam asserted that the lyrics of Vande Mataram refer to Hindu deities such as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and also call for bowing before the nation personified as a mother goddess, which contradicts Islamic monotheism.

He warned that such a move could create communal discord and demanded that those responsible for the order be held accountable. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, echoing similar sentiments, stated that the administration’s move was not aimed at promoting patriotism but at advancing a sectarian cultural agenda, arguing that true devotion to one’s country should be reflected through moral conduct and public service rather than through acts conflicting with faith.

The School Education Department in Jammu and Kashmir, which issued the circular, is headed by IAS officer Ram Nivas. In the Union territory, administrative officers function under the Lieutenant Governor rather than an elected chief minister, although the Chief Education Officer works under the education ministry. Education Minister Sakina Itoo could not be reached for comment.

The controversy comes amid rising criticism that the administration in Doda district has increasingly aligned with organisations linked to the RSS. Earlier this year, a directive from the district’s Youth Services and Sports Officer had urged officials to support events organised by the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, which also drew public criticism.

Doda MLA Mehraj-ud-Din Malik, who had raised allegations of corruption and misgovernance against the local administration, was subsequently arrested under the Public Safety Act, deepening public suspicion that the region’s governance is being influenced by ideological motives rather than administrative necessity.