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The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a body of Muslim religious organisations in Jammu and Kashmir, urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to withdraw the directive to commemorate the 150th year of Vande Mataram on November 7 in the Union Territory, a statement by the religious body said.
The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), the amalgam of all Muslim religious organisations of JK, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, expresses serious concern over the recent directive issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Government's Department of Culture, instructing schools across the region to commemorate the 150th year of Vande Mataram through organized musical and cultural programs ensuring participation of all students and staff, the statement shared by Mirwaiz Manzil-Office of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir on X read. The MMU said that singing or reciting Vande Mataram is un-Islamic, as "it contains expressions of devotion that contradict the fundamental Islamic belief in the absolute Oneness of Allah (Tawheed). Islam does not permit any act that involves worship or reverence directed to anyone or anything other than the Creator." MMU said that while Muslims are urged to deeply love and serve their homeland, that devotion should be expressed through service , compassion, and contribution to society -- not through acts conflicting with faith." Forcing Muslim students or institutions to participate in activities that conflict with their faith is both unjust and unacceptable." The statement said that this directive appears to be a deliberate attempt to impose an RSS-driven Hindutva ideology on a Muslim-majority region under the guise of cultural celebration, rather than promoting genuine unity and respect for diversity, Mirwaiz Manzil-Office of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir on X wrote. MMU has urged the administration both led by the LG Sinha and the CM Omar Abdullah , to immediately withdraw such a coercive directive which has caused anguish to all Muslims and ensure that no students or institution is compelled to act against their religious beliefs. On October 1, the Union Cabinet approved country-wide celebrations for the 150th anniversary of 'Vande Mataram', and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has outlined an extensive plan for nationwide celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a grand programme at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi to commemorate the completion of 150 years of Vande Mataram, the national song written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875. (ANI)
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