Delivering the presidential address at the 6th Alva’s Nudisiri, a 3-day national literary conference that commenced under the aegis of Alva’s Education Foundation here on Friday, he termed the religious decree against Vande Mataram “a tragedy of the country”.
During its national convention held on November 2, Jamat-e-Ulema had issued a ‘fatwa’ against reciting India’s national song Vande Mataram, terming it ‘un-Islamic’. The Muslim ulema had stated that certain lines in the song violated the spirit of Islam.
Prof Hampana, as he better known in the literary circles, said he wondered why the Union government was still silent on the issue. “Those who cannot respect the country’s national song should not live in the country. There is Arabian Sea or Indian Ocean for them,” he stated. However, he said he is happy that some conscious members of the community flayed the Ulema’s decision.
Published 06 November 2009, 18:33 IST