Srinagar: In another blatant attempt to impose the Hindutva ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the authorities in Doda district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has issued an order making the recitation of the Indian Hindu song ‘Vande Mataram’ compulsory in all schools, triggering outrage across the Muslim-majority territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the directive issued by Doda’s Chief Education Officer on November 1 instructs all school heads to ensure that ‘Vande Mataram’ is recited during morning assemblies every Monday. The order has been widely condemned by religious leaders, political organizations, and members of civil society as a direct assault on the religious freedom of Muslims.
Senior APHC leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who also heads the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU), a conglomerate of religious organizations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, also condemned the move, saying it reflects a “deliberate attempt to enforce RSS-driven Hindutva ideology on the Muslim-majority population in Kashmir.” He said true patriotism does not demand violating one’s faith, stressing that such coercive policies are eroding the secular fabric of India itself.
Talking to The Wire, Mirwaiz said, Vande Mataram contains “expressions of devotion that contradict the Islamic belief in the absolute oneness of Allah”.
“Islam does not permit any act that involves worship or reverence directed to anyone or anything other than the Creator. While Muslims are urged to deeply love and serve their homeland, that devotion should be expressed through service, compassion and contribution to society – not through acts conflicting with faith,” he added.
Kashmir’s Grand Mufti, Nasir-ul-Islam, strongly denounced the order, terming it a “blasphemous act” and a “calculated move to provoke religious sentiments.” He said the lyrics of ‘Vande Mataram’—which glorify Hindu deities—are incompatible with Islamic monotheism and should never be imposed on Muslim students. “This circular is an attempt to develop hatred between communities. The officers responsible must be held accountable and the order rescinded immediately,” he demanded.
“Islam prohibits Muslims from worshipping idols and that the lyrics of the song – which refer to the Hindu deities Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and also call for bowing before the country – undermine the basic tenets of Islam.”
“The circular is an attempt to develop hatred between communities. Reverence is one thing but we have nothing to do with these deities. It is an arbitrary decision. The officers responsible for this should be held to account and the order should be rescinded at the earliest,” Mufti said.
He added: “What is the purpose of this diktat? If anyone objects to this order, there are chances that the situation could turn volatile. Who would be responsible in that case?”
The APHC leadership, in a statement, said the BJP regime is systematically targeting Muslim beliefs and culture under the guise of nationalism. It added that the imposition of ‘Vande Mataram’ exposes New Delhi’s real intent to assimilate Kashmiris through cultural domination rather than respecting their distinct identity.
Kashmiris see the move as part of India’s wider agenda to erase their Islamic identity and suppress their political aspirations under the garb of cultural nationalism.
-KMS
