National News
‘Vande Mataram’ Row Sparks Outrage: Muslim Activists Condemn MLA Abu Asim Azmi’s Stance And Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha’s Retaliation
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.
Crime
‘Give her to us’: Adobe techie Vinay Gupta’s mother, sister allege pre-planned murder by in-laws in Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 22: The mother and sister of 31-year-old software engineer Vinay Gupta, who was allegedly beaten to death by his in-laws in outer Delhi Nihal Vihar area, on Saturday alleged that the killing was pre-planned and demanded strict punishment for those responsible.
Speaking to reporters, Gupta’s mother alleged that her daughter-in-law had orchestrated the murder and deliberately called her relatives to their home.
“Give her to us, and we will punish her with our own hands. She orchestrated his murder and left,” she said.
According to her, the incident occurred early in the morning when her daughter-in-law allegedly called her brothers to the house. “We were preparing to serve them water, thinking that relatives had come to visit. But they did not want water. They grabbed him by his hands, choked his throat, jumped on his chest and killed him right before my eyes within five minutes,” she alleged.
She further claimed that when she tried to save her son, she too was assaulted. “When I rushed to save him, they beat me. When his father tried to rescue him, they assaulted him as well. Everything went dark before my eyes. There was no one else in the house. She had the CCTV cameras switched off,” the grieving mother stated.
Calling the incident pre-planned, she said there had been no major dispute before the attack. She claimed that six people were involved, of whom four had reportedly been detained while two are absconding.
Gupta’s sister, who was at her in-laws’ home at the time of the incident, also alleged that the killing had been planned in advance.
“My parents and my brother were alone at home. In the morning, she had an argument over something and stormed out of the house. Within just 10 minutes, she returned with six men from her family. She led them upstairs,” she said.
“My mother was preparing to serve them water, thinking that guests had arrived. But they refused the water, grabbed my brother by his hair, choked his throat and killed him. Before leaving the house, she had intentionally switched off the CCTV cameras,” she alleged.
She questioned how the relatives could have reached the house within 10 minutes when their residence was allegedly around 30 minutes away.
“It was completely pre-planned. Everything was orchestrated in advance,” she said, adding that her elderly parents were unable to save her brother.
The sister also alleged that Gupta’s wife frequently fought over minor issues and threatened the family. “There were six people who killed my brother,” she alleged.
The deceased was a resident of Laxmi Park and worked as a software engineer with Adobe in Noida. He had married his 31-year-old wife, a homemaker, around three-and-a-half years ago. The couple have twin children — a son and a daughter — who are about four-and-a-half months old.
According to the victim’s family, an argument broke out between Gupta and his wife in the morning over a matrimonial issue. Following the dispute, the woman allegedly contacted members of her parental family, who later arrived at the couple’s residence in Nihal Vihar.
The family alleged that Gupta was subsequently attacked and severely beaten by his wife’s relatives. Gupta was later rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
National News
15-year-old girl injured in Mumbai hit-and-run, police launch hunt for absconding biker

Mumbai, Aug 22: A 15-year-old girl was injured in a hit-and-run incident near Mumbai’s Vile Parle, officials said on Saturday, adding that the motorcyclist involved in the accident fled the spot and remains absconding.
According to the information available, the incident took place on NS Road No 1 near Mithibai College in Vile Parle when the teenager was crossing the road. A speeding motorcycle allegedly struck the girl before the rider fled the scene without stopping to assist her.
The accident reportedly occurred during the usual rush hour, when the road was witnessing regular traffic movement. The girl was crossing the road when the motorcycle suddenly approached at high speed and hit her, leaving her injured on the road.
The injured teenager was left lying on the road before assistance reached her.
Mumbai’s Juhu Police Station has registered a case against an unidentified person and initiated an investigation into the incident.
Police officials are currently working to identify the motorcyclist responsible for the accident and determine the circumstances that led to the collision.
Soon after receiving information about the incident, police personnel rushed to the spot and arranged for the injured girl to be taken to a nearby hospital.
She is currently undergoing treatment, while further details regarding the extent of her injuries are awaited.
Meanwhile, the police have launched a search operation to trace the biker who fled after the accident.
Investigators are examining CCTV footage recorded by cameras installed near the accident site in an effort to identify the motorcycle and its rider.
Officials are checking footage from shops, buildings, junctions and other locations surrounding NS Road No. 1 and the area near Mithibai College.
Police have expressed confidence that the accused will be identified and arrested soon.
National News
BJP criticises LoP Rahul Gandhi; Trinamool’s Saugata Roy hails his protest for students

New Delhi, Aug 22: BJP leaders on Saturday stepped up their criticism of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of failing to discharge his responsibilities and questioning his stance on the Vande Mataram issue. At the same time, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy praised Rahul Gandhi for taking up the cause of protesting students and described his intervention in getting an FIR filed in the pellet gun use case as a major achievement.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh, speaking in Mumbai, claimed Rahul Gandhi had not fulfilled the responsibilities associated with the post of Leader of Opposition. Referring to recent developments, Singh accused the Opposition of raising the Vande Mataram issue for political purposes.
Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi is unfortunately the Leader of Opposition of India, but he has never fulfilled the duties of a LoP. Yesterday’s incident was related to the pellet-gun case to remain in the media. The Opposition is talking about Vande Mataram. Even in 1937, it was removed under the pressure of Jinnah. And now Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country. He worked to restore it…”
In West Bengal, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh also targeted LoP Gandhi over his political activities, questioning his decision to visit other places instead of Jharkhand, where students have been protesting over issues concerning them.
Ghosh said, “He isn’t going to Jharkhand, where students are protesting for their own interest. Their government is in power there, and the decision taken by the government was proven wrong by the court. So now, there is nothing left for Rahul Gandhi to do…”
BJP leader T.R. Sriniwas said, “Yesterday, there was entire FIR drama of Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament Street Police Station over the so-called Jantar Mantar fiasco. I would like to say to Rahul Gandhi, there was a drama in the late 80s and 90s called ‘Bakra Kishton Pe’. Now, what you are doing is ‘politics kishton pe’. This is what is happening. You are not a full-time politician, sir. You come at your leisure, do some drama, and go away. This is what you have done.”
However, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy defended LoP Gandhi’s intervention in the students’ protest and praised his role in raising the issue of filing of an FIR over the pellet gun issue.
Roy said, “I am happy that Rahul Gandhi, as a Leader of the Opposition, fought for the students’ cause. He staged a protest for nine hours, and finally, an FIR was registered regarding the police action and police atrocities against the students. This is a major achievement for Rahul Gandhi.”
The contrasting reactions highlight the political divide over Gandhi’s recent actions, with BJP leaders questioning his role as LoP while the Trinamool has backed his intervention on behalf of protesting students.
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