Why issue of Mataram is being raised again?
Afshain Afzal
Indian Muslims are loyal citizens of India but in the recent development
their loyalty is being seriously doubted. The Indian Jamaat-e-Islami, in
its national conference held in Deoband in Saharanpur district in
November 2009, passed a resolution not to recite Vande Mataram being
anti-Islam in nature. Vande Mataram was part of a Bengali language book
namely Anandamatha, written by a Bengali writer on 7 November, 1875. The
song, Vande Mataram, was treated as the national anthem of India for
long during British rule but ultimately ‘Jana Gana Mana’, was chosen as
the national anthem of independent India because of objections from
minorities, especially Muslims.
Although Muslims rejected this song in 1830s but a misleading impression
prevails in India that after independence in 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru,
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and several other leaders removed the
objectionable parts of the song, so there can now be no room for
controversy. Those who uphold such belief should not forget that
Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi himself had opposed this song in 1947 when
there was a severe communal riot. The issue of Vande Mataram (originally
referred as Bande Mataram) is not new for the people of India. It dates
back to pre-partition rule of Indian National Congress. There is no
doubt that during Congress rule Muslims were victimized and subjected to
various kinds to injustices including injury to their religious
feelings. Where the Muslims were forced to bow before the Congress tri-colour
flag, it was also compulsory in the offices and schools to sing Vande
Mataram. The song Vande Mataram was full of passages which were
anti-Islam and openly cursed the Muslims. Finally the Congress deleted
all the stanzas of the song except first two with a hope to satisfy the
Muslims but Muslims out rightly rejected even the first two stanzas.
Today, the issue is again being raised as there is a strong Hindu lobby
which wants to go ahead with Hindu national agenda without taking
minorities into the account.
As an evidence to this claim, we have thousands of books in libraries
all over India and Pakistan, where book containing compiled
correspondence between Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru in the same regard are present. In fact, Quaid-e-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah wrote a letter to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on March
17, 1938 demanding scrapping of Bande Mataram altogether. Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru replied Quaid’s letter on April 6, 1938 in which he
replied in these words “Regarding the Bande Mataram song the Working
Committee issued a long statement in October last (October 1937) to
which I would invite yours attention. First of all, it has to be
remembered that no formal national anthem has been adopted by the
Congress at any time. It is true, however, that the Bande Mataram song
has been intimately associated with Indian nationalism for more than
thirty years and numerous associations of sentiments and sacrifices have
gathered round it. Popular songs are not made to order, nor they can be
successfully imposed. They are grown out of the public sentiment. During
all these thirty years or more years the Bade Mataram song was never
considered as having any religious significance and was treated as
national song in praise of India. Nor, to my knowledge, was any
objection taken to it except on political grounds by the Government.
When however some objections were raised, the Working Committee
carefully considered the matter and ultimately decided to recommend that
certain stanzas, which contained certain allegorical references, might
not be used on national platforms or occasions. The two stanzas that
have been recommended by the Working Committee for the use of national
song have not a word or a phrase which can be offend anyone from any
point of view and I am surprised that anyone can object to them. They
may appeal to some more than to others. Some may prefer another national
song. But to compel large number of people to give up what they have
long valued and grown attached to is to cause needless hurt to them and
injure the national movement itself. It would be improper for the
national organization to do this.”
Today when the minorities, especially Muslims are critical of Vande
Mataram, there is nothing new in this as it has already been clarified
that it is on record that it was resented and challenged even over 70
years back by the Muslims of India. There is no doubt that the recital
of this national song by Muslims injures their religious sentiments. One
wonders that when there is a national anthem, Jana Gana Mana and no one
is opposed to reciting the national anthem then why Vande Mataram is
being discussed. I personally believe that there is no need for another
national song as it might start a race for adoption of other national
songs. In Andhra Pradesh, there is a proposal to introduce ‘Maa Telugu
Talliki’ in schools. If such things continue, then there is no end to it
and may end into nation vide violence. Despite these facts, there are
some minority groups, who consider that Deoband’s resolution on Vande
Mataram is without any substance. One such person is Indian Union
Minority Welfare and Corporate Minister Salman Khurshid, who is of the
view that there was nothing objectionable in the national song. He
termed the protest against adoption of Vande Mataram as national song as
wrong and uncalled for. But if we carefully examine the statement of
former Indian Prime Minister on the issue, we would exactly come to know
why Muslims have refused to sing this national song. Indian former Prime
Minster, Atal Bihari Vajpai once said “It’s about respect, not worship.
The song is a symbol of devotion towards the motherland. We do not aim
at idol worship. Those who do not believe in idol worship are free to
pray in their own way. But when it comes to worshipping India, our
motherland, there should be no controvers” Of course, Muslims only
worship Allah and not their motherland. Paying due respect and
expressing feelings of love for one’s motherland is another thing. India
has right to impose Hindusim on Hindus but minorities are protected by
Indian Constitution as well as various other agreements still intact.
The most important point that we should never forget is when Indian
leaders like Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru as well as
the Working Committee of All Indian Congress accepted the truth that
most of the stanzas of the songs were anti-Islamic then why Indian
government is bend upon forcing the Muslims to recite this song. How can
anyone expect from Muslims to recite portion of a song which as a whole
contains insultive remarks for Muslims and Islam but selected stanzas
does not divulging same filth. One wonders, are Hindus going to recite
portion of ‘Surat’ from Al Qur’aan which are not critical of idols but
as a whole, the ‘Surat’ curses followers of idols? |
