The latest addition to the growing list of things ‘UnIslamic‘ is, quite unsurprisingly, our National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana in Allahabad.
The management of a school in Allahabad, M A Convent, has ordered a ban on playing the National Anthem on Independence Day.
The Manager, Zia-ul-Haq, has claimed that some lines in the national anthem is unIslamic and therefore cannot be sung by Muslim students.
If we are to believe it’s only the manager who seems to be out of his mind, we would be widely off the mark. According to certain reports, the management has claimed that the ban was imposed after objections were raised by Muslim parents. The manager also claimed that the National Anthem hasn’t been played in the school for the last 12 years and the students are prohibited from chanting ‘Vande Mataram’ as it would hurt the sentiments of Muslim parents.
The specific line in question here is ‘Bharata Bhagya Vidhata’. According to the manager, “The line…Bharat Bhagya Vidhata….is UnIslamic…for Muslims only the Allah (Almighty) is their Bhagya Vidhata and no one else….Bharat is our country.”
It is disconcerting that certain sections of the Muslim community would raise issues with some of the fundamental tenets that bind us all together and needless to say, it does nothing to improve the already tenuous interfaith relationships in our country.
In another bewildering series of events, over 30 Madrasas in Ujjain, MP have refused to accept mid day meals from Hindu organizations after the parents alleged it was an attempt to defile their faith.
According to the parents, the provider of the meals, Iskcon offer the food to Hindu gods first before sending them to schools. After the tender to Iskcon ended in July 2016, BRK Foods and Ma Parvati were roped in for catering but Madrasas have declined to accept food from either.
In this case as well, parents seem to have played a major role in the decision. Parents have threatened to withdraw their wards from the Madrasas if they accept food from the current suppliers. They have demanded that the food be cooked in the Madrasas themselves instead of getting the food from outside.
The liberals, again, are made conspicuous by their silence. At a time when liberals latch on to fictional stories to further the false Islamophobia narrative, it is appalling that they ignore such blatant Hindu-hatred by certain sections of the ‘Peaceful’ community. And as they continue their witch-hunts against Hindu outfits for allegedly harming the cause of communal harmony, it is disgraceful that they hardly ever raise their voice against such blatant cases of Hindu-hatred.
The recent events highlight the continuous refusal of significant sections of the Islamic community to integrate themselves with the prevalent culture of the nation and their lack of allegiance to the Nation-State. Time and again, they have asserted that Islamic laws are superior to the laws of the nation and if the two contradict, then they will follow the Islamic laws. Time and again, they have also asserted and demanded that the laws of the nation reflect the Islamic laws and special care be taken to ensure that the laws do not violate any aspect of Islam. Under such circumstances, it is very difficult if not downright impossible to have healthy interfaith relations. Even liberals would agree, healthy interfaith relations become a distant fantasy when members of a particular faith cry discrimination if their demands of discriminating against others is infringed upon.