AhlulBayt News Agency: AIMIM President and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi strongly opposed forcing citizens, especially Muslims to sing Vande Mataram, saying that the Constitution guarantees complete freedom of thought, belief, and religion.
Owaisi said during a special Lok Sabha debate marking 150 years of Vande Mataram that patriotism cannot be linked to any religion or religious symbol.
He stressed that no citizen can be forced to show devotion to any deity, nor should anyone have to prove their loyalty to the country through such acts.
He explained that Vande Mataram is India’s national song, meaning “Mother, I bow to you.” He questioned why anyone should be forced to bow or show religious-style respect when the Constitution promises freedom of worship to everyone.
In a post on X, referring to his speech, Owaisi wrote:
“When the very first page of the Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, speech, belief, religion, and worship, how can any citizen be forced to bow or worship in the name of any religion?”
He said the government must not pressure Muslims to recite or sing Vande Mataram. Freedom of speech and expression, he explained, is a core principle of the Constitution, and insisting on such practices would violate it.
Owaisi also warned that linking patriotism with one particular religion or identity is harmful and goes against the idea of equality.
He reminded the House that the Constitution begins with “We the People,” not with the name of any deity.
He emphasized that freedom of thought, speech, belief, and worship is the foundation of democracy, and the state cannot belong to any one religion.
He referred to debates in the Constituent Assembly, pointing out that although Vande Mataram was discussed, starting the Constitution’s preamble with a goddess’s name was rejected.
The Hyderabad MP added that Indian Muslims strongly opposed Muhammad Ali Jinnah, which is why they chose to stay in India.
He also noted that in 1942, some political ancestors of today’s ruling parties formed coalition governments with Jinnah’s Muslim League in regions like Sindh, Bengal, and the North-West Frontier Province, and those same governments helped recruit 150,000 Indians into the British Indian Army during World War II.
Citing legal precedents, he argued that Vande Mataram should not be used as a test of loyalty. Loving one’s country, he said, is natural, but connecting patriotism to a religious practice or text goes against the Constitution.
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