A political controversy has broken out in Bihar after reports claimed that the state government has made the singing of “Vande Mataram” compulsory in government programmes and educational institutions, including schools and colleges. The move has drawn strong opposition from the Bihar unit of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, which has warned of protests across the state.
According to reports, the directive is linked to a broader policy push that recommends singing “Vande Mataram” before the national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana,” in educational institutions.
AIMIM Says Order Violates Religious Freedom
Bihar AIMIM president and MLA Akhtarul Iman strongly criticised the reported decision during a press conference in Kishanganj. He said the party would oppose the move “from the streets to the assembly” if the government does not withdraw it.
“We will force the government to withdraw this decision just as earlier directives like Surya Namaskar were taken back after opposition,” he said.
Iman argued that making the singing of “Vande Mataram” mandatory goes against the religious beliefs of many Muslims. “We believe in one God and our worship is only for Him. We cannot be asked to follow any other form of veneration,” he said.
He also urged the government to respect constitutional values and Supreme Court rulings while framing policies related to religion and education.
“If the country is being turned into a Hindu Rashtra, then the government should openly declare it,” Iman said, adding that no one should be forced in matters of faith.
AIMIM Leaders Announce Wider Protest
Another AIMIM MLA, Sarwar Alam, also opposed the reported order and announced that party leaders would organise protests across Bihar.
“Every leader of our party will raise this issue on the streets and inside the assembly,” Alam said.
The party has also accused the Bihar government of ignoring Urdu language education and failing to appoint Urdu teachers in schools and colleges despite Urdu being widely spoken in parts of the state.
