Mumbai: The row over singing of ‘Vande Mataram’, a patriotic song, continued for a second day in the ongoing Maharashtra legislative session with a BJP legislator setting off the demand for singing this anthem be made compulsory in all educational institutions.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raj Purohit on Thursday said he would write to the state government demanding ‘Vande Mataram’ be made compulsory in all schools, colleges, government offices and institutions in the state.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi said that singing ‘Vande Mataram’ could not be a condition to show one’s patriotism and objected after BJP MLA Anil Gote said that martyr Abdul Hamid during the war with Pakistan destroyed enemy tanks and said ‘Vande Mataram.’
Azmi also reminded that many Muslim citizens contributed to the national cause, even King Shivaji had several Muslim generals in his army and his legal advisor was a Muslim. “We have said not once but thousands of times that there is no better place than Hindustan and ‘Long live Hindustan’ but we will not sing ‘Vande Mataram’.” He added that the BJP was trying to politicise the issue.
Former Revenue Minister and BJP MLA Eknath Khadse asked what was wrong in singing ‘Vande Mataram’ when all it meant was bowing before the motherland. “All that it means is saying ‘salaam’ to your mother or your motherland, what is the problem with that?
“When your motherland has given you so much — food, shelter, clothing and all amenities — then you have to say ‘Vande Mataram’.”
Purohit had said on Thursday, while speaking in the legislature complex, “Our freedom fighters and revolutionaries chanted ‘Vande Mataram’ which was a symbol of patriotism when they faced the British. People who don’t know the true meaning of Islam are the ones who are opposing it.”
Waris Pathan of All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen took the same stand as Azmi and said he would not sing ‘Vande Mataram’ even if a gun was put to his head. He said, “Nowhere in the Constitution is it written that if I don’t say ‘Vande Mataram’ we will become anti-national.”
The controversy over the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ started again after the Madras High Court a few days back had said that ‘Vande Mataram’ must be sung in all Tamil Nadu schools and colleges at least once a week — on a Monday or Friday. The court also said that if any person or organisation had difficulty in singing or playing the song, they would not be compelled or forced provided there are valid reasons.
