The Madras High Court’s recent order making singing of Vande Mataram compulsory in Tamil Nadu schools had its echo in the Maharashtra Assembly, with senior BJP leader and former State Minister Eknath Khadse conveying it to the Opposition’s two Muslim MlAs that if one were to live in the country, he or she would have to chant the national song.
Khadse and another BJP MlA Anil Gote joined issue with Samajwadi Party MlA Abu Azmi and his counterpart from MIM Warin Phatan on the chanting of “Vande Mataram”, after Gote raised the issue and objected to Azmi’s recent statement that he would rather leave the country than chanting “Vande Mataram”.
Taking exception to Azmi’s recent comment on the issue, Gote said that if Azmi chose to remain in the country he would no other way but to chant the national song.
In response, Azmi said: “I can chant Sare Jehaan se Acha, Hindustan Humara. .. Hindustan Zindabad thousand times. But I would not chant Vande Mataram because it is against Muslim community. Several Muslims have sacrificed their lives for the country. Several of the sardars of Chhatrapati Shivaji were Muslims. Therefore don’t dub as anti-nationals”. Phatan of MIM also supported the stand taken by Azmi.
“Is Deshme Rehana Ho tho, Vande Mataram Jehna Hoga,” Khadse told the two Opposition MlAs, taking strong exception to their opposition to “Vande Mataram” chant.
Wondering as to how anyone could refuse to chant “Vande Mataram” in a country where freedom fighters won the independence by singing that national song, Khadse said: “ You were born, brought up and will be buried in this country. How can you refuse to salute the motherlandIJ That being the case, you have to chant to chant Vande Mataram if you are to live in this country“.
In a significant ruling, Justice M V Muralidharan of the Madras High Court had said early this week that private and government schools in the state should ensure that their students sing the national song at least twice in a week, preferably on Monday and Friday, while the national song could also be played in other government and private establishments at least once in a month.