Imposing Vande Mataram is against the Constitution

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani on Thursday strongly criticized the central government’s directive mandating the playing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram before the national anthem at official events. He called it a blatant attack on religious freedom and a violation of the constitutional rights of minorities. This came after the Union Home Ministry (MHA) issued detailed guidelines for the national anthem, Vande Mataram, stating that when both the national anthem and Vande Mataram are played at an event, all six stanzas of the official version of Vande Mataram should be presented first. In a post on X, Madani wrote that the central government’s unilateral and coercive decision to declare “Vande Mataram” the national anthem and make all its verses mandatory in all government programs, schools, colleges, and ceremonies is not only a clear attack on the religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution of India, but also a deliberate attempt to curtail the constitutional rights of minorities. Muslims do not prevent anyone from singing or playing “Vande Mataram”; however, some verses of the song are based on beliefs that deify the motherland, which contradicts the fundamental beliefs of monotheistic religions. Since a Muslim worships only one Allah, forcing them to sing this song is a clear violation of Article 25 of the Constitution and several Supreme Court decisions. He also stated that this decision undermines religious freedom, democratic values, and the Constitution and reflects politics rather than true patriotism. The post further stated that making this song mandatory and attempting to impose it on citizens is not an expression of patriotism; Rather, it is a deliberate attempt to distract the public from electoral politics, communal agendas, and fundamental issues. The measure of true love for one’s country lies not in slogans, but in character and sacrifice. Vivid examples of this can be clearly seen in the historic struggle between Muslims and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Such decisions undermine the country’s peace, unity, and democratic values ​​and offend the spirit of the Constitution. “It must be remembered that Muslims worship only one God; they can tolerate everything, but they cannot accept anyone as partners with God. Therefore, making “Vande Mataram” mandatory is a clear attack on the Constitution, religious freedom, and democratic principles,” the post read.