Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav is facing severe opposition from a top Muslim religious leader from his hometown, Ujjain, just two days after welcoming the Union government’s directive mandating the singing of all six stanzas of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at official functions and schools, which he had promised to implement in the state.
The Imam of Ujjain, Mufti Sayyid Nasir Ali Nadvi, on Saturday criticised the Union and state governments’ decision, terming it “unconstitutional” and in contravention of the “right to religious freedom”.
The Muslim Cleric described the order as anti-Islamic. He averred that the directive amounts to an attack on religious freedom.
“In Islam, we are not permitted to attach any other deity or religious entity to the worship of Allah. For Muslims, there is only one Allah,” Nadvi stated.
“The lyrics of Vande Mataram clearly suggest that we worship the land of Hindustan. But Muslims worship only Allah, and nothing else,” the Muslim cleric argued.
“The Union and state governments’ order is totally against the law and the Constitution,” he maintained.
“We urge the government to take back this order,” he demanded.
“We will ask all Muslims to withdraw their children from all those schools, which implement the government order and make the recital of all six stanzas of the Vande Mataram compulsory,” Nadvi declared.
Following the Union government’s directive to accord the national song Vande Mataram the same respect as the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, MP CM Dr Yadav said on Thursday, “Under the leadership of illustrious Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the Home Ministry has decided to respectfully sing six stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ before the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’. We will implement this in Madhya Pradesh.”
In its order dated January 28, the Union Home Ministry directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, be sung first whenever the national song and the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, are played together.
The Centre is observing the 150th year of Vande Mataram.
Ujjain is the hometown of MP CM Dr Mohan Yadav.