An important discussion and possible debate is going to begin in the Lok Sabha on Monday regarding the national anthem ‘Vande Mataram’. But just before this conflict inside the Parliament, Maulana Sajid Rashidi, President of All India Imam Association, has given a statement outside the Parliament, which has tried to give a new and resolved perspective to this decades-old dispute. There have often been reports of complete opposition from the Muslim side regarding ‘Vande Mataram’, but Maulana Rashidi has clarified that Muslims do not hate this song, rather their objection is purely about religious beliefs (monotheism) and the sense of ‘idol worship’ in the next parts of the song. He clearly said that no Muslim should have any hesitation in singing the first two lines of the national anthem.
Maulana Rashidi said, ‘See, we have no objection in singing the first two lines of Vande Mataram. Even Sajid Rashidi can sing and hum these two lines. This is because we sang it even during the freedom struggle. At that time, it was a slogan that united the whole of India, whether Hindu or Muslim. ‘Vande Mataram’ served to instill enthusiasm in the fight against the British. This statement of Rashidi is important because it cuts the narrative of BJP and right wing organizations in which it is often said that Muslims insult the national anthem. Rashidi admitted that the beginning of the song is a praise of the beauty of the country and its prosperity, which no one has any problem with.
Then where is the controversy?
Maulana Rashidi clarified that the controversy starts after the initial lines of the song. He said, in the following lines, Mulk has been portrayed as a goddess (Durga/Lakshmi). This goes against the basic tenets of our faith. Citing Islamic beliefs, he explained, we are Muslims and we believe in only one Allah (Tawheed). We love our country, we can sacrifice our lives for it, but we cannot worship it. Motherland may be like our ‘mother’ whom we respect, but she cannot be a ‘goddess’ whom we worship. In the next part of the song, Desh is described as a form of Durga, which directly connects to paganism (idol worship), which is not allowed in Islam.
What are those two lines and the further controversial part?
The opening lines of this song from ‘Anandmath’ written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, to which Rashidi has agreed, are… ‘Sujlaan Suphalan Malayajasheetalam, Shasyashyamalaan Mataram!’ (Meaning: I worship you, Mother, full of water, laden with fruits, cool with the south winds and green with crops.) Till now, only the natural beauty of the country has been described.
But the controversial part comes later… ‘Tvam Hi Durga Dashaprahandharinim…’ (Meaning: You are the Durga who wields ten weapons…) Muslim scholars argue that here the country has been directly accepted as the form of Hindu Goddess Durga, singing of which is like Shirk (worship of someone other than Allah) for them.
where is the line drawn
- This statement of Maulana Rashidi is not alone, rather it reminds of the historical agreement which was in discussion even before independence. The reaction of other scholars and leaders of the Muslim community on this statement of Rashidi also seems to be on the same lines. BJP claims that what Maulana Rashidi is saying was also the decision of the Congress Working Committee in 1937. At that time, the committee headed by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Jawaharlal Nehru had decided that only the first two verses of ‘Vande Mataram’ would be accepted as the national anthem because the rest of the parts contained religious symbols.
- At the same time, an official of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind says that Muslims do not need any certificate to prove their patriotism. We sing ‘Saare Jahan Se Achcha’, we stand respectfully for the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’. But if a song conflicts with religious beliefs, the Constitution gives us the freedom to practice our religion. While discussing this in Parliament, the government should keep in mind that it should not be imposed.
- However, some fundamentalist Muslim leaders believe that the entire reference to ‘Vande Mataram’ comes from the novel ‘Anandmath’, which was allegedly based on anti-Muslim sentiments, and hence it should be completely discarded. But Rashidi’s statement of “humming two lines” is being seen as a middle path.
What will happen in Parliament?
- A discussion on this issue is proposed in the Lok Sabha on Monday. It is believed that the ruling party i.e. BJP will present it as an issue of ‘cultural nationalism’. Many BJP MPs have been demanding that ‘Vande Mataram’ be given equal status to ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and it should be made mandatory in schools and government programs.
- In such a situation, this statement of Rashidi can give an argument to the opposition. Opposition MPs may say that when a particular community has no problem with the initial lines, then why create controversy by making the entire song mandatory?
Polarization or solution?
Political analysts believe that the emergence of such issues during elections and Parliament session is not a mere coincidence. Rashidi’s statement is an attempt to deflate the balloon of BJP’s ‘nationalism versus appeasement’. If the Muslims themselves are saying that they are ready to sing it, as long as our religious dignity is taken care of, then the scope for conflict reduces. Now it remains to be seen whether the government accepts this ‘offer’ in Parliament or rejects it as ‘vote bank politics’.
