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Monday, June 18, 2012

Controversy over ‘Vande Mataram’ Irrelevant: Issue Settled 50 Yrs Ago,

Current affairs
Controversy over ‘Vande Mataram’ Irrelevant: Issue Settled 50 Yrs Ago
By Subhash K. Jha
November 4th, 2009

New Delhi: As Congress fights shy of Vande Mataram debate, citing sensitivity of the matter, minority affairs minister Salman Khursheed on Thursday waded into the issue saying there was no need to reopen the chapter which was settled 50 years ago. He said singing the song was not objectionable.

Khursheed’s comment came after a fatwa issued by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, saying the national song was idolatrous and could not be sung by Muslims. A recurring theme in national political scene, the fresh ban called by Deoband triggered a controversy with opposition guns even targeted at Congress as home minister P Chidambaram had visited the campus for the same function.

Congress has chosen to keep quiet on the issue, with a party spokesman saying it was better not to touch the “sensitive issue”. However, Khursheed threw away the caution as he felt a fresh reference to old objections to Vande Mataram was unnecessary. He said, “Fifty years ago, it was settled before great national leaders and we should not reopen the question. We have been using Vande Mataram as national song as some stanzas of Vande Mataram were decided to be treated as national song.” He said Hindus and Muslims settled the issue during independence and JuH was a party to the resolution. “There is no reason given by anyone for reviewing it, which is a settled question.”

Khursheed’s comments are significant as they come not just from a Muslim leader but also someone chosen to head the minority affairs ministry, the government arm carved out in 2004 to woo minorities, especially Muslims. While Vande Mataram has been a nogo area for mainstream parties, given the incendiary nature of controversies which erupt from it and the political implications involved, the opposition has reacted to it as it did this time around.

http://newageislam.com/controversy-over-%E2%80%98vande-mataram%E2%80%99-irrelevant--issue-settled-50-yrs-ago/current-affairs/d/2061


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