Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: Expressindia.com
Date: August 19, 2006
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=72653
Muslim leaders and clerics reacted sharply
to a reported decision by the Centre asking all schools to make their students
recite the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram as part of the centenary celebrations
of the National Song on September 7.
"Reciting Vande Mataram is against the
tenets of the shariat (islamic law)," Zafaryab Jilani, a member of the
All India Muslim Personal Law Board(AIMPLB), said.
"There are some lines in Vande Mataram
which go against our religion," Jilani said. However, Muslims had no
problem in reciting the National Anthem, Jana gana mana, he said.
All India Muslim united Morcha vice-president
M Asiddique also denounced the move, saying the recitation of Vande Mataram
was "against Islam".
He said Muslims could under no circumstances
allow their children to recite the song.
Another AIMPLB member, Khalid Rashid Firangi
Mahali, aired similar views and demanded scrapping of the move.
The Centre has sought the Uttar Pradesh government's
help for the concluding function of the 'Vande Mataram centenary celebrations',
wherein the song will be sung in all schools, colleges and educational institutions
on September 7.
An official release issued in Lucknow on Saturday
had said that a letter from Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun
Singh had been received by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, seeking his
help for successfully holding the function.
Necessary directives according to the wishes
of Singh for ensuring the recital of the song's first two stanzas at 11 am
on September 7 were issued to concerned officials, the release said.
