New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has strongly objected to the Centre’s recent notification mandating the recitation of all verses of ‘Vande Mataram’ at official functions and in schools prior to the National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, terming the move unconstitutional and violative of religious freedom.

In a press statement, AIMPLB General Secretary Maulana Mohammed Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi said the decision runs contrary to constitutional principles, secular values and Supreme Court judgments, and directly conflicts with the religious beliefs of Muslims. He described the notification as “completely unacceptable” to the community.

Referring to historical deliberations, Mujaddidi said that following Rabindranath Tagore’s advice and discussions in the Constituent Assembly, it had been agreed that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be used in official contexts.

He argued that a secular government cannot impose the beliefs or teachings of one religion on followers of another. The song, he said, was written in the context of Bengal and includes references to the worship of Durga and other deities, which Muslims cannot endorse on theological grounds.

“Regardless of the political considerations behind implementing this decision, Muslims cannot accept anything that conflicts with their faith,” he said, reiterating that Islam permits worship of only one God, Allah, without any partners.

The AIMPLB also claimed that courts have previously observed that certain verses of the song are inconsistent with secular principles and have restricted their recitation in specific contexts.

Demanding immediate withdrawal of the notification, the Board said it would approach the courts if the Centre does not reconsider its decision.

The Union Home Ministry, in its order dated January 28, stated that the official version comprising all six stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ shall be sung at official functions. When both the national song and the national anthem are performed together, ‘Vande Mataram’ will precede ‘Jana Gana Mana’.

The order specifies that the national song will be rendered on occasions such as the arrival and departure of the President and Governors at government functions, before and after the President’s address to the nation broadcast on All India Radio and television, and during the unfurling of the national flag.

It further states that ‘Vande Mataram’ will be played at civilian award ceremonies, including the Padma awards, and at events attended by the President during arrival and departure. It will also be played in public places such as cinema halls, although standing will not be mandatory in such instances.

–IANS

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