Vande Mataram in Maharashtra schools: BJP MLA says make it must, AIMIM, SP MLAs say against religion

The row further intensified when Shiv Sena minister Diwakar Raote advised those opposed to the demand to shift to Pakistan

Legislators from the state were on Thursday involved in a row over making Vande Mataram mandatory in educational institutions in Maharashtra, in the wake of a recent Madras high court order.

The row further intensified when Shiv Sena minister Diwakar Raote advised those opposed to the demand to shift to Pakistan. (File)

While BJP legislator Raj Purohit demanded that students in schools and colleges made to compulsorily sing the national song, Waris Pathan of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Abu Asim Azmi of Samajwadi Party (SP) said such a move was “against their religion”.

The row further intensified when Shiv Sena minister Diwakar Raote advised those opposed to the demand to shift to Pakistan.

Referring to a recent Madras high court order, Purohit told mediapersons that he would give a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to make singing Vande Mataram compulsory in all schools, colleges and government offices. He said the demand would be raised in the Assembly, too, at an appropriate time.

Read: Vande Mataram must be sung in schools, offices to instill patriotism: Madras HC

Reacting Purohit’s demand, Pathan said even if he was held at a gunpoint, he would not sing Vande Mataram. “Our religion does not allow us to worship anything else but Allah. We respect the Constitution of India, which does not have any compulsory provision of singing the national song,”

he told mediapersons. Pathan found support from Azmi. “It is against the teaching of our religion and no Muslim will sing it,” said Azmi

Raote waded into the controversy, saying those who do not want to worship their motherland should shift to Pakistan. “Vande Mataram denotes independence of the country, and if anybody has issues with it, they should shift to Pakistan. I do not understand why they have such affection for Pakistan,” he told mediapersons.