All India Muslim Personal Law Council spokesperson SQR Ilyas. File | Photo credit: The Hindu
The central government’s announcement to make recitation of all Vande Mataram verses mandatory has met with opposition from Muslim authorities. Led by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, they urged the government to withdraw the notification or approach the Supreme Court.
“Reciting all verses of Vande Mataram in schools and official functions is unconstitutional, against religious freedom, secular values and against the Supreme Court’s judgment,” said All India Muslim Council of Personal Law spokesperson SQR Ilyas.
The song, he claimed, contains references to the worship and worship of Durga and other deities, which is against Muslim beliefs. “This is totally unacceptable. Muslims worship only one God; Allah without a partner and Islam does not allow any form of associating partners with God,” he said, adding, “Indian courts have also ruled that many verses of the songs are against secular values and have restricted their recitation.”
He urged the government to “immediately withdraw this notification”.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Arshad Madani termed it a “brazen attack on the religious freedom” of minorities. He reiterated that some verses of the song were based on beliefs that depict the motherland as a deity. “It goes against the beliefs of monotheistic religions,” Mr Madani said.
Pointing out that some verses of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s song go against the core beliefs of the Muslim community, Mr. Madani said, “An announcement of this nature risks disrupting the social fabric of the country. To compel a Muslim to sing this song is in direct violation of Article 25 of the Constitution, apart from several Supreme Court judgments. Imposing this song on citizens as a compulsory song and making patriotism a compulsory song of the Supreme Court. Instead, it reflects electoral politics, a sectarian agenda and a deliberate effort to divert public attention from fundamental issues.”
In a press statement, the general secretary of the board, Mohammed Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi, expressed strong opposition to the government’s decision. He called it “contrary to Supreme Court judgments” and said the move was “unconstitutional, against religious freedom and secular values and in direct conflict with the religious beliefs of Muslims”. He noted that on the advice and deliberations of Rabindranath Tagore in the Constituent Assembly, it was agreed that only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be used.
“A secular government should not impose the beliefs or teachings of one religion on followers of other religions. The song was written in the context of Bengal. Whatever the political considerations behind implementing this decision ahead of the West Bengal elections, Muslims cannot accept it as it is in direct conflict with their faith,” Mujaddidi said.
Earlier on January 27, the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a notification on the singing of the National Anthem, directing that all six stanzas be sung at official events except in schools.
Published – 12 Feb 2026 22:51 IST