The 4th and 5th of November saw a lot of ink and air time wasted on the fatwa by the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind against Muslims singing the Vande Mataram, the so called National Song of India. What was worse was that P C Chidambaram had addressed the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind and had left before this fatwa was passed. Since 3rd evening, when the news was first reported, the media has been used by various political parties to trumpet different political opinions.
What becomes very apparent is the similarity between political parties and organisations based on religion. Both use narrow definitions of nationalism and religion to achieve their ends.
In 2006 the BJP had issued a fatwa for the states ruled by it. The BJP Fatwa commanded that all schools should sing the Vande Mataram on Sept 7 the centenary of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s composition, as it was an occasion to celebrate ‘national pride’.
In 2009 the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind issued a fatwa stating that Muslims cannot sing the Vande Mataram as some lines go against Islamic tenets.
Both institutions are giving too much value to a song. On the one hand it is being used to prove ones nationalism and on the other it is perceived as a threat to a religion.
This song, used in the freedom movement, has found a new lease of life as a very dextrous tool in modern India. The BJP and RSS use it to force an identity and ideology (in the garb of nationalism) and Muslim religious groups use the song to reaffirm their identity.
What are the outcomes of colouring nationalism in saffron hues? Would singing Vande Mataram be such an anathema to the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind if this song weren’t an anthem for the Hindu Right and its political affiliates?
It is strange that the BJP, RSS and other Hindu organisations who want to promote Vande Mataram have not taken the words to heart – ‘Suhasinim, Sumadhur Bhashinim’ which means sweet of laughter, sweet of speech (as per the translation on the BJP site).
Was this news of national importance? Why can’t the media pull the rug from under this issue? How does singing this song affect the country? Can singing a song make one nationalistic and not singing anti-national or vis-versa? Is the media stoking the fire by giving political parties a platform to speak?
If one owes allegience to one country then he or she cannot and should not have any difficulty to sing the National song that stands for the spirit of Nationalism and freedom struggle. Those who oppose on any grounds are finding fedeble grounds of religion etc. The fundamental fact is that religion can live in a nation and not a nation in a religion.
A country can give shelter to many religions, but not the otherway.
The fatwa by islamic clerics is against spirit of nationhood. For them religion is more important than nation. So the government and the public should not give any weightage to this Fatwa.
And those who argue in favour of such fatwas are to be considered as antinationals