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Vande Mataram row

This refers to the Darul Uloom Deoband's order asking Muslims not to send their children to school on September 7 to avoid any controversy over the singing of Vande Mataram, and the IUML's statement that Vande Mataram is `anti-Muslim.' They are reflective of a narrow mindset. Muslims are citizens of India and Vande Mataram is the national song. The Government's decision to celebrate its centenary should be welcomed by all, irrespective of religion.

E. Sivasankaran,
Coimbatore

Vande Mataram is recognised on a par with the national anthem. No song stirred the national fervour of Indians as Vande Mataram did during the freedom struggle. Why a section finds it necessary to question its pre-eminent position after so many years and why some of our leaders are wishy-washy about it is a mystery.

P.S. Leelakrishnan,
Kozhikode, Kerala

Vande Mataram was composed in 1875. During the Bengal Partition, Muslim leaders joined hands with Hindus in using it as a slogan against colonialism. It is meaningless for the present generation of Muslims to create such a fuss over it.

Raja Gandhi Kandalla,
Vijayawada, A.P.

Vande Mataram was a source of inspiration for freedom fighters. History is proof of how it became a weapon of people of all faiths in 1905.

Pandu Pawar,
Hyderabad

How can words such as "Mother I bow to thee" be interpreted as idolatrous and hence repugnant to Islam? Such an attitude will only lead to further isolation, ghettoisation, and a persecution complex among the members of the Musilm community.

Subramanyam Sridharan,
Bangalore

Just the singing of a song is no way to express patriotism. The non-singing of Vande Mataram should not be used to undermine the patriotism of Muslims.

Mohammed Fakrudeen,
Abu Dhabi

Some sections of Muslims are opposing the recitation of Vande Mataram on the ground that it is against their religion. On the other extreme, we have the BJP that is insisting on its compulsory recitation. What was the need for the Congress-led Government, which is aware of Muslims' opposition to the song, to reopen the topic? It is clear that it wants to gain political mileage from the communal war of words between Muslims and the BJP.

Mohd. Amin Mir,
Sopore, J&K

The cartoon on the issue (cartoonscape, Sept. 4) is rather tasteless. It would appear that only the RSS is interested in the rendition of Vande Mataram. The song is not a religious composition. The two words became the mantra of freedom loving Indians, both Muslims and Hindus, not to forget the people of other faiths, against the British rule.

K.R.A. Narasiah,
Chennai

Vande Mataram is a national heritage. No one has any proprietary rights over it. It is up to the people, individually or collectively, to decide whether to sing or not to sing. By insisting that every Indian should sing it or be damned, the BJP will give those who are disinclined a chance to not only trivialise the national song but also its author and its momentous historical context. It is time the party with a difference joined the enduring liberal democratic stream.

P.P. Sudhakaran,
Bangalore

The Constitution guarantees people the freedom of speech, which includes the freedom to remain silent. Granted, Vande Mataram is one of the most soulful songs in Indian literature and every Indian should take pride in singing it. But if some feel the lyrics are opposed to the tenets of their religion, the song should not be imposed on them. Forcing them to sing Vande Mataram against their wishes will amount to insulting the song itself.

Col. C.V. Venugopalan (retd.),
Palakkad, Kerala

HRD Minister Arjun Singh is to squarely blame for triggering the unnecessary debate. Parliament will now go through elaborate deliberations and discussions, followed by adjournments, on this issue before putting it on the backburner. A few enlightened members of the BJP have already made a partisan call to their party-ruled States to make its recitation compulsory. Why should someone be requested/ordered to sing the national song?

V.J. Lawrence,
Bangalore

As a gesture to promote communal harmony, Muslims should accept the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram. Referring to India as mother marks the expression of love and gratitude to the country. `Vande' should be seen as a salutation rather than worship. The song means a lot to our Hindu brethren. It would be gracious on our part to accept it. At the same time if someone just wants to stand in reverence while it is being recited but does not want to recite it, he or she should have the right to do so.

Shabana Qureshi,
Chennai

The Constituent Assembly adopted Vande Mataram as the national song on January 24, 1950. Which means January 24, 2050 would mark the conclusion of its centenary. On September 7, 1905, the Congress activists sung it in the AICC session at Benaras (Varanasi), when the partition of Bengal appeared imminent.

The centenary of the AICC meet cannot be deemed to be the centenary of officially adopting Vande Mataram as the national song of the Indian republic. Nor should the citizens of a sovereign, secular republic be coerced to sing it on that date.

M. Nyamathullah,
Tiruchi, T.N.

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