The opposition has demanded that Arjun Singh apologise.
'At the far end we have the likes of Maulana Mahmood Madani with their separatist agenda, but that does not mean every Muslim is persuaded by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind's bunkum.'
Days after a top Muslim body passed a resolution asking the community members not to recite 'Vande Mataram', a prominent Islamic organisation which had issued 'fatwa' against the national song in 2006, on Monday said the edict cannot be withdrawn.
Defying the fatwa issued by the Jamiat-Ulama-e-Hind against the rendition of Vande Mataram, a group of Muslims, led by a clergyman, joined people from other communities in singing the national song in front of a mosque in Betul. A large number of people from a cross-section of the society collected in front of the Jama Masjid at Betul Bazar at the invitation of its Imam Hafiz Abdul Razique and recited the song on Sunday.
Lalgola Royal Estate in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, where Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay conceived his epic creation Ananda Math, is all set to get a facelift albeit via the stars and stripes.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Ambrish Singh and B N Shukla, in a joint statement, also condemned the Darul Uloom for criticising the Madhya Pradesh government for making recital of 'Vande Matram' in government officials mandatory.
The precedence given to 'Vande Mataram' and 'Jana Gana Mana' over the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' has triggered a controversy in Tamil Nadu, with political parties condemning the decision to relegate the Tamil invocation to third place at the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Joseph C Vijay.
Are politicians raking up the national song controversy just to gain political mileage?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon citizens to celebrate Independence Day with honour and pride, urging them to take a pledge for a developed India. This appeal comes amidst parliamentary sessions marked by protests from both ruling and opposition alliances.
The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday night announced that the singing of Vande Mataram in schools and colleges on September 7, to mark the national song's centenary celebrations, was not compulsory.
A clash erupted between All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen and BJP councillors of the Meerut Municipal Corporation at the oath-taking ceremony on Friday, following a disagreement over the singing of Vande Mataram to begin the event.
The Indian National Congress was founded by Scotsman Allan Octavian Hume on this day in 1885.
There much controversy about whether or not the song would be sung.
The RSS is aggressive on the demand for making its singing compulsory in all schools, including madrassas, while the saffron party states that the issue relates to respect for the national symbol.
The Congress has said it was a mistake to say this was the centenary of the song.
Vande Mataram of Sanskrit origin, but written in Bengali, Tamil Nadu AG told the court.
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, along with other prominent sports personalities like VVS Laxman, Mithali Raj, and Suresh Raina, extended heartfelt wishes to the nation on its 80th Independence Day, celebrating India's freedom, diversity, and the spirit that unites its people.
The VHP on Wednesday lashed out at Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind for adopting a resolution asking Muslims not to recite Vande Mataram, and demanded a public apology from Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for "keeping silent despite the anti-national pronouncement being made in his presence".
Ahmedabad is set to officially become the host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games, with a formal handover ceremony taking place during the closing of the Glasgow 2026 Games.
'We chew paan and spit it out on Mother India and then chant Vande Mataram. Throw garbage and then chant Vande Mataram... , the PM said.
The resolution of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind asking Muslims not to recite 'Vande Mataram' is "unacceptable" and will be "counter-productive", said Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.
Hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party sought an apology from Home Minister P Chidambaram over the Vande Mataram issue, the Congress on Wednesday said the matter is a sensitive one involving religious sentiments and no controversy should be raked up over it.
Distancing itself from the 'fatwa' against Muslims singing 'Vande Mataram', a section of the intelligentsia on Sunday said there was a need to educate the community about the actual meaning of the lone "objectionable" word 'vande' in order to remove doubts over its rendition.
Terming Bahujan Samaj Party member of Parliament Shafique-din Barq's walkout from the Lok Sabha when the national song was being sung as "Taliban-like conduct", the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday said such leaders do not have a right to be parliamentarians or even citizens of the country.
'Ours is a diverse culture and we ought to respect each other's customs. People must not be coerced into exhibiting their patriotism in one particular way'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 80th Independence Day address, expressed strong confidence that India will achieve developed nation status by 2047, urging citizens to embrace big dreams and unwavering resolve to realise 'Viksit Bharat'. He highlighted India's economic transformation and significant growth in various sectors, including defence production, electronic manufacturing, and mobile phone production.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) announced a nationwide movement against the 'deteriorating condition' and social and political marginalisation of Muslims in India, citing concerns over mob violence, demolition drives, and attempts to impose Vande Mataram.
Police in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, have registered a case against two Congress corporators for allegedly disturbing communal harmony after they refused to sing the national song 'Vande Mataram' during a municipal corporation session.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced plans to enact a stringent law against religious conversion and implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. He linked these measures to strengthening national security and preserving Bengal's cultural identity, citing concerns over infiltration and demographic changes. Adhikari also highlighted efforts in border security, distinguished between illegal immigrants and CAA refugees, and paid tribute to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
An editorial in the Sena publication said, "Some political leaders think singing the national song is a sin or an offence. They feel it would hurt the unity and secular fabric of the country. But Vande Mataram was an inspirational song for the freedom fighters, who laid down their lives fighting the British, with the battle cry of this song on their lips."
India's rich culture and shared Commonwealth values will be prominently featured during the Glasgow Commonwealth Games closing ceremony's handover segment on August 2. This event will welcome Ahmedabad as the host of the 2030 centenary edition, showcasing India's biggest music and dance stars, including a tribute to Vande Mataram, a unique sitar-pipes Jugalbandi, and a grand finale celebrating Gujarat's heritage.
A Bahujan Samaj Party member on Wednesday left the Lok Sabha as the national song was being played to mark the sine die adjournment of the Budget Session of Parliament, prompting an angry rebuke from Speaker Meira Kumar.
President Droupadi Murmu on Friday approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 posthumously, to the personnel of the defence forces and central armed police forces on the eve of 80th Independence Day.
Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the opposition in Rajya Sabha, linking the division of the 'Vande Mataram' song to the partition of India. He accused Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru of dividing the song for appeasement politics.
The Union home ministry directed all the states and Union territories on Monday to adhere to the Flag Code, underlining that while flags made of paper may be waved by the public on occasions of important national, cultural and sports events, those should not be discarded or thrown on the ground after the events.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has moved a government resolution mandating the rendition of Tamil Thaai Vazhthu at the commencement of all government events, emphasising the state's linguistic and cultural rights amidst a Union Home Affairs Ministry advisory on Vande Mataram.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged a six-hour dharna at a police station in New Delhi, demanding an FIR for 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, who sustained pellet gun injuries during a July 20 protest. The FIR was registered after Gandhi's protest, with the BJP criticising his actions as 'politics of anarchy'.
The Indian government has expanded its Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan by signing agreements with four spiritual organisations. These partnerships aim to enhance grassroots awareness, prevention, recovery, and social mobilisation efforts against substance abuse, leveraging the extensive reach of these groups.
