Vande Mataram our National song was officially declared on January 24, 1950 by Dr Rajendra Prasad who was the first President of India. The song was consumed in controversies that dates back to 1937. The Muslims opposed the song on the grounds that it depicted idol worship. The later stanzas has references to the Hindu goddess Durga and they felt it was anti-Islam. The Indian National Congress considering their religious sentiments decided to adopt only the first 2 stanza of the original song as the national song.
More than 50 years have passed and today there is a new controversy. A top Muslim body issued a fatwa against singing the national song 'Vande Mataram' since it is anti-Islamic on Nov 3, thus endorsing the fatwa issued by Darul Uloom in 2006. The edict would stand and not be withdrawn. The Vice Chancellor of Darul Uloom however said "Fatwa is not an order but a guiding principle. People may abide it or ignore it." News spread like wild fire and there were responses from all quarters. There are other prominent Muslim groups denying this fatwa and declaring that there isn't anything un-Islamic about our national song.
There was a twist in the tale too, the BJP swiftly claimed that the home minister Mr P Chidambaram was present when the fatwa was declared thus legitimising the same and thrust Congress for an answer. The home minister later clarified that he wasn't present when the resolution was passed.
It is nearly 60 years, Vande Mataram was declared the national song. Why reopen a new argument? The religious stanzas were removed before it became our national song. The controversy ended there. This new resistance is pointless and seemed to be aimed at creating political differences without any reason. Nobody is forcing anybody to sing the national song. If someone does not want to sing it, so be it. But why create provocative resolutions at a national stage? It is simply uncalled for whichever way you look at it.
India has enough problems to handle. These are only creating new and unwanted ones. Vande Mataram is the national song of our country. It is every Indians duty to respect it. No person could force anyone to sing or force anyone to stop reciting Vande Mataram.
Vande Mataram should be sung voluntarily.
