New Delhi, May 21 (IANS). Leaders of various Muslim organizations have given different reactions to the West Bengal government’s decision to make singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ mandatory in madrassas.
National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, while speaking to IANS, said, “Ever since Suvendu Adhikari took over as the Chief Minister in Bengal, efforts are being made to create one controversy after another. On the lines of Assam, madrassas of Bengal are also being targeted and ‘Vande Mataram’ has been made mandatory. I am not stopping anyone who wants to recite it, but those who Those who do not want to read it should not be forced to do so.”
Chief Imam of All India Imam Organization, Dr. Omar Ahmed Ilyasi said that whether it is ‘Vande Mataram’ or ‘Madre Watan Zindabad’, the sentiment of both is patriotism and cheering for India. In Islam, worship and worship is done only to God, hence some people say ‘Madre Watan Zindabad’ instead of ‘Vande Mataram’. Hindus say ‘Vande Mataram’ in Sanskrit and Muslims say ‘Madre Watan Zindabad’ in Urdu, but the sentiment is the same. This is the national song and there should not be any kind of politics on this issue.
Dr. Omar Ahmed Ilyasi justified Mahant Yogi Adityanath’s statement regarding Namaz and said, “Namaz is a worship between God and the devotee and its place is a mosque, not the road. It is not right to offer Namaz on the road because the rules of Namaz include taking permission. If the administration or government does not allow Namaz on the road, then Namaz cannot be done on the road at all.”
Welcoming the demand to declare cow as the national animal, he said, “It is a good thing that there is a demand from the Muslim community to declare the cow as the national animal. All India Imam Organization has been saying this for years. Cow is not an animal but the soul of the world. Cow is the faith of Hindus. Cow’s milk is a cure, cow’s ghee is a medicine, cow’s meat is a disease. I appeal to all Muslims not to sacrifice banned animals.”
Darul Uloom Firangi Mahal spokesperson Maulana Sufian Nizami strongly opposed the decision of the West Bengal government, saying, “We strongly oppose the decision of the West Bengal government, under which the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ has been made mandatory in madrassas and all schools. We appeal to the Muslims that wherever a situation arises where its singing is made mandatory, they should not enroll their children in such institutions.”
AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan said, “We respect ‘Vande Mataram’ and hold it in high esteem, but Article 25 of the Constitution gives us the right to freely practice and propagate our religion. For Muslims, there are some lines in ‘Vande Mataram’ which Islam does not permit.
On the West Bengal government making “Vande Mataram” mandatory in madrassas, BJP leader Gaurav Vallabh said, “Be it schools or madrassas, ‘Vande Mataram’ is our national song. ‘Vande Mataram’ instills a sense of patriotism.”
–IANS
SAK/DSC