Vande Mataram order ‘unconstitutional’: Muslim body demands withdrawal
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New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Thursday termed the Centre's mandate of singing of all six stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram "unconstitutional", and said it will move court if the government does not withdraw the order, PTI reported.
The assertion came after the Union Home Ministry directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, shall be sung first when the national song and national anthem Jan Gana Man are to be played together.
In an order dated January 28, the home ministry gave the first set of protocols for singing the national song, directing that six stanzas of it, having a duration of 3 minutes 10 seconds, shall be sung on official functions such as the arrival of the President, unfurling of the tricolour, and speeches of governors.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) strongly objected to the Central government's order and described the decision as "unconstitutional and contrary to religious freedom".
In a press statement, the board's General Secretary, Maulana Mohammed Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi, expressed strong opposition to the government's decision, terming it unconstitutional, against religious freedom and secular values, contrary to the Supreme Court judgment, and in direct conflict with the religious beliefs of Muslims.
The decision is therefore completely unacceptable to Muslims, he said.
Mujaddidi pointed out that following Rabindranath Tagore's advice and deliberations in the Constituent Assembly, it had been agreed that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be used.
A secular government cannot forcibly impose the beliefs or teachings of one faith upon followers of other religions, he said.
The AIMPLB general secretary said the song was written in the context of Bengal and contains references to the worship and veneration of Durga and other deities.
Whatever the political considerations were behind implementing this decision of the Centre ahead of the West Bengal elections, Muslims cannot accept it, as it is in direct conflict with their faith, he said.
"A Muslim worships only one God, Allah, without any associate, and Islam does not permit any form of associating partners with God," Mujaddidi said.
He further said Indian courts have also held that the other verses are inconsistent with secular values and have restricted their recitation. Therefore, the board demands that the Central government immediately withdraw the notification; otherwise, the Board will challenge it in the court, Mujaddidi added.