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Vande Mataram: Muslim artistes, academicians criticise Jamiat resolution
New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) :
Over 100 artistes and academicians belonging to Muslim community today launched a scathing attack on Jamiat-Ulema-e Hind resolution on 'Vande Mataram' saying the move would only ''unnecessarily provoke'' a controversy and strengthen Hindutva forces.
"We don't believe Vande Mataram is a test case of some one's patriotism. We strongly condemn the Jamiat move to unnecessarily provoke a controversy over it.
"This move has only strengthened the Hindutva forces, which have been in disarray since the last Parliamentary elections. We also condemn the Hindu right wing forces' attempt to impose its recitation on citizens to prove one's patriotism," they said in a statement.
The 115 signatories of the statement include historian Irfan Habib, actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, lyricist Javed Akhtar and filmmaker Sayed Mirza.
They also criticised the Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind's move to establish non-residential schools for girls with a "specially carved out" syllabus, saying it was a "retrogressive move not only isolate girls from the mainstream but also to keep them confined to the secluded sectarian atmosphere." Speaking at a press conference where the statement was released, filmmaker Sohail Hashmi said "the voice of Mullahs does not represent the voice of the entire Muslim community in the country."
Hashmi said, "a clergy cannot solve the problems. We need to look out for secular solutions. There is a voice among Muslims which is left unheard. The voice of the particular section or the clergy is not the voice of all the Muslims."
Speaking on the same lines senior journalist, Zafar Agha said, "We need India to understand that the voice of Mullahs isn't the voice of all of us. There is a large number of liberal, educated Muslims who are totally against the resolution and the fatwa."
Scientist and poet Gauhar Raza said, "Whatever they are proposing is anti-scientific and anti-democratic. We, Muslims have a voice, which just needs to be amplified." Regarding the Jamiat's move in girl's education, Hashmi said the rate of educated Muslims is already less and this system would decline it further.
Supporting the Centre's move to standardise modern education syllabus through establishing a madrasa board, the group said, "This will open a window for madrasa students to modern education and surveys show that an overwhelmingly large number of Muslims are in favour of modern education."
Their statement is interesting - they oppose the jamiat move but at the same time say that Vande Maataram is not a test case for patriotism. So these distinguished citizens also indirectly do not want Vande Maataram. To add insult to injury, they add the masala and bring in so called HIndutva. Whether you like it not Hinduism existed much before Islam came and it was in this country and not imported.
You talk of belonging and do not want to salute the land to which you belong(?!). And now debates will go on and on.
This is Bharat( sorry India, as this is again from the language of this country). Jai HO
How do you know? At least these people have the guts to take on the mullahs. Congratulate that. Meanwhile your criticize Reddy brothers and BJP ruining Karnataka.
The need of the hour is, muslims must come out from the grip of mullahs who interpret the Quran to suit their own needs to maintain his authority over common people. Also, muslim communities made to understand harms (and haraams) their hardliners could inflict to them by citing examples of Taliban and its madrassas. Hope these artists and academicians continue to air their proper perspectives to the hearts and minds of innocent muslims to liberate them from their psychological bondage with hardline mullahs. In simple words, muslim community got to reform itself to adopt to the modern world, else, peace in future hardly achievable.
This is a opporutunity to talk from artistes and academicians in favour muslims as know very well they talk only about goodness of muslims condemning Hindus The main cause the congress govt favouring them for votesbank.
Sir,
In condemning Jamiat-Ulema-e Hind resolution on Vandemataram, the Muslim artistes and academicians have hit two birds in one stone when they have cautioned that their stand would strengthen Hindutva forces. There was no need for them to drag Hindutva here.
