Mumbai: A fresh controversy has erupted in Maharashtra as the state prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the patriotic song ‘Vande Mataram.’ The uproar began with Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Asim Azmi’s assertion that he would not recite the song, claiming it is against the tenets of Islam.

This statement had drawn swift condemnation from ruling party leaders and, in turn, has fueled sharp criticism from Muslim activists and community members who decry both the MLA’s ‘unnecessary’ provocation and the retaliatory actions of a state minister.

This was not the first time that Azmi made such a statement. He had objected to chanting Vande Mataram in 2023 during his participation in a rally in Aurangabad.

Recently, he reignited the debate by stating that making it mandatory to sing Vande Mataram was not right as everyone’s religious beliefs were different. “Islam gives a lot of importance to respecting one’s mother, but it does not allow prostrating before her”, he said.

Adding fuel to the fire, minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha claimed he would organise a group singing of the national song outside the residences of the opposing MLAs, including Azmi as well as Congress MLAs Aslam Shaikh from Malad West and Amin Patel from Mumbadevi.

While this position is not new, its timing, amidst a state directive making the full song mandatory in schools to mark the 150th anniversary on November 7, has been viewed by many Muslim community leaders as politically motivated and detrimental to communal harmony.

According to Irfan Engineer, director at the Centre for the Study of Society and Secularism, the dispute dates back to the period of freedom struggle and depends on the way of translating the song.

“Muslim League came out with the narrative that the song talks of worshipping India as a goddess and labelled it as anti-Islam since the religion only permits worship of one god. This was one of the many other divisive methods to oppose Congress and nationalism while portraying itself as the sole representatives of Muslims.”

He added that the actual translation of Vande Mataram as “salute to motherland” does not have any dispute with Islam’s practices and the same can be observed in AR Rahman’s Hindi rendition of the song ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’.

“I would sing the song a thousand times as a salute to the motherland and our freedom fighters who attained martyrdom while chanting this verse,” he added.

Javed Anand, national convenor of the Indian Muslims For Secular Democracy, said, ”From a puritanical view, chanting Vande Mataram is objectionable in Islam but majority of the Muslims do it because the context is different. Moreover, the song comes from Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s book which is perceived as anti-Islam.”

Ali Bhojani the founder of Community Connect, which has been working to promote communal harmony, compared the issue with that of restriction in Islam to consume alcohol.

“Although consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Islam, it is allowed when it comes mixed in a medicine as it aims to save life. Although as Muslim I believe in one god, as an Indian I will proudly sing Vande Mataram, if it is not enforced upon me only to oppose my religious beliefs. Like Hindus, Muslims also follow the same Indian constitution and sing the same national song but the same constitution also gives me the right to practice my religion.”

While Muslim activists have stood up in support of chanting Vande Mataram, they have also condemned the plan to organise group singing outside political leaders’ residences as a form of political intimidation and coercion.

“This is a communal issue and has nothing to do with loyalty to the country. BJP and its leaders deliberately play such tactics to provoke Muslims. It is not like these political leaders are singing it in love for the motherland. Legally and constitutionally, we have the right to not sing the national anthem as well, which has been ruled by the Supreme Court in the past. Millions of Muslims sing it but only those who want to play politics oppose it and that has nothing to do with their love for Islam,” said Engineer.

“As an Indian citizen, I would love to join the minister’s group singing Vande Mataram but not if the motive is to offend someone’s religion. If I ask Lodha to chant Allahu Akbar, he will also feel offended,” said Bhojani, adding that group singing should be organised outside every politician’s residences, including Azmi as well as chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

“Vande Mataram has been weaponised to be used against Muslims by those who are looking at ways to harass the community. Communal politics is at the core of it and political leaders are engaging in ugly politics. There does not seem to be an end to this but it is important to be ended,” said Anand.