Instead of following the Central government directive on reciting the national song, Vande mataram, about 200 Muslim children chose to sing a popular patriotic song - Saare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara - at an assembly of a Lucknow madrasa on Thursday morning .

The Central government had earlier issued a missive to all states to ensure singing of Vande Mataram on September 7 in all educational institutions to mark the completion of 100 years of it being adapted as the national song.

While most schools followed the directive, Islamic institutions had, however, expressed their reservations on the matter.

"The idea behind singing this popular song was to prove that we Muslims are not unpatriotic. Our only objection to reciting Vande mataram was because it amounts to worshipping the nation and our religion forbids us from worshipping anyone other than Allah," said Maulana Khalid Rasheed , the Naib Imam of Lucknow's Idgah and head of Madrasa Nizamia, run by the Idgah Trust.

He sought to point out, "Those arguing in favour of singing Vande Mataram have repeatedly claimed that the song was only a kind of praise or salutation to the nation, we chose to sing an equally patriotic song in praise of the nation."

The Uttar Pradesh government had made it optional for students to follow the directive. Even the High Court held a similar view, leaving students free to decide whether to sing it or not.

According to state principal home secretary S K Agarawal, "Barring one minor incident of violence in Meerut district , no untoward incident was reported in this regards from any other part of the state."

He told mediapersons Thursday evening, "Two persons were injured following a clash between Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists and some local Muslims in Kalli patti village under Mavawan police circle of Meerut district."

In Lucknow, VHP activists staged a demonstration to mark their protest against Islamic institutions refusing to sing the national song.