Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Nov 10: A major controversy broke out on Monday after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced that reciting Vande Mataram would be made compulsory in all educational institutions across the state, sparking strong objections from sections of the Muslim community.

Speaking at an ‘Ekta Yatra’ and Vande Mataram event in Gorakhpur, Adityanath said the move was intended to instil patriotism and a sense of reverence for the nation among students. “There should be respect for our national song Vande Mataram. We will make its singing mandatory in every school and educational institution of Uttar Pradesh to invoke a spirit of devotion towards Bharat Mata and our motherland,” he said. 

However, the announcement triggered a strong backlash from Muslim clerics and community leaders. Maulana Haleem Ullah Kasmi, president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Maharashtra, criticised the decision, asserting that it violated religious freedom. “We are Muslims, and the Constitution guarantees us the right to practice our faith. Anything imposed against our religion cannot be accepted. Our faith teaches that there is only one Allah, and we worship none other,” Kasmi told reporters.

He argued that compelling Muslim students to sing Vande Mataram amounted to religious coercion. “Muslims have always respected the nation, but this move is being done only to target and harass our community,” he said.

Kasmi urged Muslim parents to pull their children out of schools if the directive is enforced. “Our children will not sing Vande Mataram. If the government forces this rule, we will withdraw them from schools. It is better for them to remain uneducated than to compromise their faith,” he added.

Drawing a comparison with an earlier dispute, Kasmi recalled the uproar when the UP government had made Surya Namaskar compulsory in schools. “At that time, Maulana Ali Miyan Nadwi had appealed to Muslims to withdraw their children from schools. I am repeating that appeal now,” he said.

The Chief Minister’s directive and the subsequent reactions have reignited the long-standing debate over the balance between national symbols, religious beliefs, and constitutional freedoms in India’s education system.