Vande Mataram is unislamic song: Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind

Terming the recitation of Vande Mataram as against Islam, the Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind (JEU) has passed a resolution against the song at the Deoband national convention meet.

Incidentally, the controversy comes on a day when Home Minister P Chidambaram addressed the convention today.

According to a resolution passed at the convention meet, some verses of the patriotic song are against Islam.

Many leaders of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, the organiser of the event, are said to be against Vande Matram.

The Muslim Law Board has justified the decision saying that (Muslims) can't offer prayers to anyone but Allah. Kamal Farooqui, a prominent leader of the Board said, "We love the nation but can't worship it."

Reaching out to Muslims, Home Minister P Chidambaram said a nation can ignore its minorities only at its peril and pointed out that it was the duty of the majority community to protect them.

"A nation can ignore its minorities only at its peril...We must always remember that pluralism is our inheritance and strength. It was the duty of the majority to protect the minority. Due to the acts of a few, we have allowed diversity to become differences," he said.

He said, "We cannot view Islam as an alien faith because this is the land of your forefathers, this is the land of your birth. It is a matter of our pride that Islam exists in India along with other major religions."

The Home Minister said the government was committed to protect the rights of the minorities at a time when minorities in other countries were being targeted. "We have no hesitation in speaking for the rights of Muslims at a time when Tamils were denied their rights in Sri Lanka and Indian students were attacked in Australia" he said.

Chidambaram said communalism must be condemned and deplored as it was opposed to political freedom and is "an obstacle in building a modern society."

The Jamiat adopted 25 resolutions for the welfare and rights of the minorities which included asking the government not to rake up the issue of singing of Vande Mataram by Muslims, saying a judgement of the Supreme Court has clearly stated that no body can be compelled to sing the song.