The row erupted when two corporators of the IMC, Fauzia Sheikh Aleem and Rubina Iqbal, categorically refused to sing ‘Vande Mataram’, sung by the members to mark the commencement of the budget session of the corporation on Wednesday.
Bhopal: Rift in the Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress on Thursday came to the fore with a powerful section of the party taking strong exception to two Muslim corporators of Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) shunning the national song “Vande Mataram”, calling it against Islam.
The row erupted when two corporators of the IMC, Fauzia Sheikh Aleem and Rubina Iqbal, categorically refused to sing ‘Vande Mataram’, sung by the members to mark the commencement of the budget session of the corporation on Wednesday.
Ms. Aleem was directed by the chair to leave the House when she declined to comply with his request to sing the national song, while challenging it to show the rule making the singing of the national song mandatory.
Ms. Iqbal also shunned the song, contending that Islam does not permit to sing the song and she will not go against her religious beliefs.
The corporator however said that she respects the country and other national and patriotic songs, ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and ‘Saare Jahan Se Acha’, but will not sing ‘Vande Mataram’.
The refusal to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ by the two Muslim corporators had sparked protests by the ruling BJP members in the House.
The issue took a new twist when Indore city Congress president Chintu Chouksey on Thursday took series view of the matter and announced that “Vande Mataram” will be sung in all meetings of the party in the city and those who are not willing to comply with the order are not welcome in the meetings.
Ms. Aleem however said that she is hardly bothered if the party takes any action against her for this.
K K Mishra, the media advisor to the Pradesh Congress Committee president of Madhya Pradesh Jitu Patwari, also slammed the two corporators for not singing ‘Vande Mataram’.
“Those who cannot uphold the ‘Rashtra Dharma’ and cannot say ‘Vande Mataram’, (Bhad Mein Jaye) (to hell with them). They should settle down in Pakistan”, he said.
He said that not singing ‘Vande Mataram’ is an insult to those Muslim freedom fighters who had made sacrifices for the freedom of the country and also to the Indian Army.
Mr. Mishra called it political blackmail by Ms. Iqbal at the behest of the BJP.
Senior Congress leader Dr Aminul Khan Suri said that any move to make singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ mandatory should be opposed.
Patriotism cannot be imposed and such moves go against the inclusive values of the party, he said.
