No Muslim can sing 'Vande Mataram'

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi strongly opposes singing ‘Vande Mataram’
Claims ‘the lyrics is associated with worship’

Mumbai – Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi recently made venomous remarks with regards to national song Vande Mataram. He said, ‘In Islam, there is no worship of land or the sun. We believe in none except Allah. Just as you cannot offer namaz, no Muslim can sing Vande Mataram. These words are connected with worship’. At a time when the country is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram with large-scale events, Azmi has opposed Muslims being asked to display their patriotism. When BJP Mumbai City President Amit Satam invited Azmi to attend the Vande Mataram event on 7th November, Azmi responded with the above comments.

Azmi said, ‘The Supreme Court has ruled that forcing anyone to sing the national anthem is a violation of the fundamental rights to religion, conscience, and freedom. Petitions seeking equal statutory protection to Vande Mataram as the national anthem have already been dismissed by the Supreme Court’.

We are not against Vande Mataram, but stop playing politics

Azmi further said, ‘Muslims cannot sing Vande Mataram, but if you call them traitors for that, it is low level politics. We have never opposed Vande Mataram; do not politicise it. In the Legislative Assembly, when Vande Mataram is sung, we stand in respect. We honour it. We also sing the national anthem Jana Gana Mana — you never mention that’.

‘You don’t want a mayor with the name ‘Khan’. But for the upcoming Mumbai municipal elections, you want Muslims to prove their allegiance by singing Vande Mataram. You want to send those who read the Quran to Pakistan. The people of Mumbai understand this politics. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is watching silently. The entire world is witnessing the humiliation of minorities being carried out by Satam and the BJP. You can never match our patriotism’.