UP VANDE MATARAM RULE IGNITES OUTRAGE; MUSLIM CLERIC CALLS FOR SCHOOL BOYCOTT

Wed 12 November 2025:

A fresh political and religious storm broke out on Monday after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared that reciting ‘Vande Mataram’ would be compulsory in all schools and colleges across the state.

The Chief Minister, addressing a gathering during the ‘Ekta Yatra’ and Vande Mataram singing event in Gorakhpur, said that every student should sing the national song as an expression of respect toward the motherland. He asserted that the move aimed to instill patriotism and unity among young citizens.

However, the directive immediately sparked outrage among several Muslim leaders and scholars, who view the compulsion as a violation of religious freedom. Maulana Haleem Ullah Qasmi, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Maharashtra, condemned the order and urged Muslim parents to pull their children out of schools if such practices were enforced.

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“The Constitution of India guarantees us the right to practice our faith freely,” Qasmi told IANS. “Anything that conflicts with our religious beliefs cannot be accepted. Islam teaches us that only Allah deserves worship. Singing or venerating anything else contradicts our faith.”

He alleged that such directives were not about promoting national unity but were being used to “pressure and provoke” the Muslim community. “Our children will not sing Vande Mataram. If the government insists, we will withdraw them from schools. Muslims have always shown loyalty and respect toward the nation. This issue is being used only to target us,” he said.

Maulana Haleem Ullah Qasmi, President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Maharashtra.

Drawing a comparison to an earlier controversy, the cleric recalled when the Uttar Pradesh government made Surya Namaskar compulsory in schools. “At that time, Maulana Ali Miyan Nadwi had appealed to Muslims to remove their children from schools. I am repeating the same call now, better for them to remain uneducated than to lose their faith,” he said.

The debate over Vande Mataram’s recitation has long been contentious. Many Muslims refrain from singing it due to its association with idol worship in some interpretations, even though it is officially recognized as the national song, not the national anthem.

While the Supreme Court has ruled that citizens cannot be forced to sing patriotic songs against their conscience, political leaders have often invoked the issue to test expressions of nationalism.

As of now, no official notification detailing the enforcement mechanism of Yogi Adityanath’s directive has been issued, but the statement has already ignited a heated national debate on faith, patriotism, and constitutional freedom.

This article is republished from Muslim MIrror. Read the original article. | Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Independent Press staff.