The refusal by Congress Councillors Fauzia Sheikh Aleem and Rubina Iqbal sparks a ruckus in Indore Municipal Corporation; NCP lawmaker Fauzia Khan says the song is against her religious beliefs
NEW DELHI — Muslim political leaders in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have refused to sing Vande Mataram, citing their religious beliefs.
A day after two Congress councillors, Fauzia Sheikh Aleem and Rubina Iqbal, refused to sing the national song during proceedings in the Indore Municipal Corporation, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) MP Fauzia Khan on Thursday said singing the national song goes “against my religious beliefs”.
On Wednesday, the chambers of the Indore Municipal Corporation turned stormy, as a budget discussion veered sharply into identity, faith, and the national song.
Congress Councillor Fauzia Sheikh Aleem and Rubina Iqbal declined to sing Vande Mataram when asked to do so during the session, citing their religious beliefs. Within moments, the House erupted.
BJP councillors rose from their benches, slogans filled the hall, and several members surged toward the chairman’s podium and a ruckus followed.
Amid the din, Chairman Munnalal Yadav called for order and asked Aleem to leave the House.
Speaking to reporters outside, Aleem stood by her decision. “My religion does not allow me to sing Vande Mataram,” she said. “The Constitution guarantees me the right to religious freedom. No one can force me to sing it.”
In the same breath, she drew a line between refusal and disrespect. “I have respect for Vande Mataram and will continue to respect it,” she added.
Speaking to IANS, Fauzia Khan said: “Had I been there, I, too, would not have sung it, as it goes against my religious beliefs. I would have stood there respectfully and upheld the law.”
She emphasised that no one, particularly a person belonging to a different faith, can be compelled to sing the song, “given that our Constitution guarantees religious freedom”.
“The coercion currently being exercised runs contrary to this principle,” Khan contended.
However, she said: “Fauzia Sheikh Aleem ought to have remained standing there to demonstrate respect for both the nation and the law. If, however, she chose to walk out, I believe that was an improper course of action.”
Congress leader Udit Raj stated that singing the national song should be kept voluntary.
“‘Vande Mataram’ should not be imposed. It must not be forced upon anyone,” he said.
Defending her stance, Congress councillor Rubina Iqbal told IANS, “I have not committed any offence for which an FIR is registered. Now, if it were up to them, they might even want to punish us severely. We are followers of Islam and follow its teachings. In Islam, if something is prohibited, we cannot do it.”
However, according to Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC., if one loves the country, he or she should not be apprehensive to sing ‘Vande Mataram’.
She said, “Understand that ‘Vande Mataram’ is a national song. And if you love your country, you must sing ‘Vande Mataram.”
Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Santosh Sharma has called the incident an insult to national sentiment. He said, “If they (the councillors) consider India as their country, then what might be the problem in singing the national song?”
Vande Mataram, adopted as India’s national song in 1950, was penned in Sanskritised Bengali by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 1870s. It first appeared in 1882 as part of his novel Anandmath, and has since lived a layered life — as poetry, as a rallying cry of the freedom movement, and as a recurring flashpoint in contemporary politics.
