So one new controversy is now starting in West Bengal,this time over reciting Vande Mataram in schools . And honestly,it feels like we keep having same debate again and again.
The state government there has issued some new order . It says all stanzas of Vande Mataram must be recited during morning assembly in government schools and even recognized madrasas.
But the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has come out strongly against this . They are calling it clear violation of fundamental rights and want the order withdrawn immediately.
AIMPLB spokesperson S.Q.R. Ilyas said this kind of rule goes against India's whole secular and democratic fabric . He's saying you can't force students to recite something that goes against their religious beliefs.
And this is where it gets very serious ah .
Ilyas pointed out this is an infringement on Fundamental Rights under our Constitution,specifically Articles 19,25,and 28(3) . He even brought up that famous Supreme Court case,Bijoe Emmanuel versus State of Kerala,which said nobody can be forced into ceremonies that violate their personal beliefs.
Few key demands are coming from AIMPLB:
- Muslim students should be given full exemption from this recitation order.
- They noted that Vande Mataram has never been made compulsory since Independence.
- Board is urging students and parents to be fully aware of their constitutional rights.
The main issue,according to the Board,is that some verses in Vande Mataram have ideas that clash with the Islamic belief in monotheism,or Tawhid . So for them,forcing Muslim students to sing it is a direct attack on their religious identity. Ilyas said a truly secular state should not be imposing one community's traditions on another .
And tbh,he has a point there . Historically this has always been matter of personal choice in India,not a government rule. Ilyas mentioned that since independence only,no government has made Vande Mataram recitation compulsory in schools .
He specifically mentioned Article 28(3) of the Constitution,which says no student in a state-run or state-aided school can be forced into religious instruction without consent . The AIMPLB is now telling Muslim students,parents,and teachers in West Bengal to be aware of their rights and take legal action if they are forced to do this.
So now this whole thing is just hanging in air . On one side there is a government order,and on other,a major community board is gearing up for a legal and rights-based fight… not sure how this will end.
