AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): In a statement issued on Friday, the Board said that using legislation to compel citizens to accept or participate in a religious concept or belief is inconsistent with the basic spirit of the Constitution. It argued that making Vande Mataram legally enforceable for all sections of society amounts to imposing a particular religious belief through state coercion.
AIMPLB spokesperson Dr. S. Q. R. Ilyas said that any attempt to make Vande Mataram compulsory for all citizens and religious communities through legal coercion is contrary to the fundamental principles of the Constitution. He pointed out that during the framing of the Constitution, the Constituent Assembly, after detailed deliberations, accepted only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at the national level, while the religious connotations contained in the remaining portions were not considered compatible with the country’s secular character.
Dr. Ilyas said certain passages of Vande Mataram depict the motherland in the form of a goddess and exhort people to worship her. “Such a concept is fundamentally incompatible with the Islamic doctrine of Tawheed, which recognises only the absolute Oneness of Allah. A Muslim worships only Allah, and participation in any practice carrying a religious meaning contrary to that belief cannot be made compulsory,” he said.
He further argued that compelling Muslims to participate in a song, slogan or practice with religious connotations contrary to their faith is unacceptable and violates constitutional protections.
Referring to constitutional safeguards, Dr. Ilyas said Article 25 guarantees every citizen the freedom to profess, practise and follow their religion, while Article 19 protects freedom of expression. “These constitutional guarantees mean that no citizen can be forced to participate in any song, slogan, ideology or symbol against their conscience or religious beliefs,” he said.
Citing the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala, he said the apex court had upheld the principle that even in the case of the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, individuals could not be punished for respectfully refraining from participation when doing so conflicted with their religious beliefs. He added that the judgment also recognised that freedom of expression includes the right to remain silent and that respectful non-participation cannot be treated as an act of disrespect.
Dr. Ilyas said Muslims deeply love their country and consider love for the homeland part of their civic and moral responsibility, but distinguished patriotism from worship. “Love for one’s country and worship of the country are entirely different concepts. Patriotism should be measured by commitment to the Constitution, the people and their rights, not by reciting any particular slogan or song,” he said.
The AIMPLB also urged the Union government to prioritise pressing issues such as unemployment, inflation, poverty, education, healthcare, economic inequality and social injustice instead of pursuing what it described as sensitive and divisive measures. It said diverting public attention from fundamental issues through emotional and religious controversies serves neither democracy nor the national interest.
The Board said India can become stronger and more united only when every citizen enjoys equal dignity, justice and freedom, and when patriotism is not judged through the prism of religious belief but through adherence to the Constitution and the protection of fundamental rights.
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