Cong councillor’s refusal to sing Vande Mataram sparks row in MP

Indore: A controversy erupted after a woman Congress councillor declined to sing Vande Mataram during a budget discussion for the Indore Municipal Corporation, citing Islamic beliefs.

Fauzia Sheikh Alim's refusal to sing the national song on Wednesday, April 8, spurred governing BJP councillors to rush to the chairman's platform and raise slogans.

Amid the uproar, Chairman Munnalal Yadav directed Alim to leave the House.

The Congress councillor later told reporters that her religion does not allow her to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ – a Sanskrit phrase meaning “I bow to thee, Mother”.

Alim said she enjoys religious freedom under the Constitution, and no one can force her to sing Vande Mataram.

As the controversy escalated, Alim said she respects the national song and will continue to do so.

She said that she had stood up to speak at the municipal corporation meeting to raise the issue of contaminated drinking water, but in an attempt to distract the House from the more fundamental issues, BJP councillors asked her to sing Vande Mataram first.

Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava described the Congress councillor’s refusal to sing Vande Mataram as unfortunate and alleged that she deliberately arrives late to the municipal corporation meeting so as not to participate in the mass singing of the national song, PTI reported.

Municipal Corporation Leader of the Opposition and Congress councillor Chintu Chouksey distanced himself from the controversy, stating that the party has no concern with Alim’s “personal opinion” on Vande Mataram.

“Vande Mataram is ingrained in every citizen of India. Singing the national song should be mandatory for every citizen,” he added.

Written in 1875 and later included in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel “Anandamath” (1882), ‘Vande Mataram’ became a rallying cry during the freedom movement.

Vande Mataram was first published in the literary magazine “Bangadarshan” as part of Chatterjee’s Anandamath.