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Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) A major political and religious controversy erupted on Monday after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced making singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ mandatory in all educational institutions across the state.
Reacting sharply to the move, Jamiat Ulema-e-Maharashtra President Maulana Haleem Ullah Qasmi said Muslims should withdraw their children from schools instead of singing the national anthem.
Addressing the ‘Ekta Yatra’ and Vande Mataram singing program in Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “There should be a feeling of respect for the national song Vande Mataram. We will make its singing mandatory in every school and educational institution of Uttar Pradesh so that a feeling of reverence and respect for Mother India and the motherland is created in everyone’s mind.”
The announcement, which the Chief Minister said was aimed at promoting patriotism and unity, faced resistance from sections of the Muslim community.
Reacting to the verdict, Maulana Haleem Ullah Qasmi told IANS, “We are Muslims. The Constitution of this country gives us the freedom to practice our religion. If anything is imposed against our faith, our Constitution does not accept it. Therefore, we will not, under any circumstances, accept anything that is against our religion.”
He further said, “Our religion teaches us that there is only one Allah, and we will worship only Him and no one else. If we do otherwise, we will cease to be Muslims. As far as the country is concerned, Muslims have never lagged behind in showing respect towards the nation. Whatever is happening in the name of Vande Mataram is being done only to oppress Muslims.”
Qasmi clarified that Muslim children will not participate in the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ and said that if the government insists on imposing the directive, the community will completely withdraw its children from schools.
He said, “Our children will not sing Vande Mataram in schools. The government targets us through many laws. This compulsion to sing Vande Mataram is being imposed only to harass Muslims.”
Comparing the previous controversy, Qasmi reminded, “When the UP government made Surya Namaskar mandatory in schools, Maulana Ali Mian Nadvi had appealed to all Muslims to withdraw their children from schools. I am making the same appeal even now. Children should remain uneducated, uneducated, and not lose their faith.”
–IANS
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