UP govt to act against madrasas, where national anthem was not sung on I-Day

The Uttar Pradesh government is contemplating stern action against 'madrasas' (Islamic Seminaries), where the national anthem was not sung during the Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday in defiance of its directives.

According to the sources here on Tuesday, the government has taken a strong view of the reports that national anthem had not been sung at many 'madrasas', especially those owing allegiance to the Barelvi school of Islamic thought.

''We have received complaints from various quarters that national anthem was not sung at several madrasas,'' said a senior official of the education department here.

The education department would also conduct a probe into the complaints, he said.

''We have asked the complainants to furnish proof in support of their allegation,'' the official said adding that stern action would be taken against the erring madrasas.

Sources said that Tricolour was unfurled at the madrasas but the students did not sing the national anthem despite being made mandatory by the Yogi Adityanath government.

Reports said that instead of the national anthem, the students of the 'madrasas' sang 'sare Jahan se Achha Hindostan Hamara', penned by the famous Urdu poet Mohammed Iqbal.

The managers of these madrasas also did not conduct video recording of the I-Day celebrations, which had also been made mandatory by the state government.

The managers defended their decision not to sing national anthem saying that some of the lines in it were not in accordance with the tenets of Islam.

The clerics owing allegiance to the Barelvi sect had earlier made it clear that neither National Anthem nor ‘Vande Mataram’ would be sung in the ‘Madarsas’ affiliated with them.

The state government had, in a circular issued to all the 'madrasas', directed them to unfurl the Tricolour followed by the recital of the national anthem and national song. The government also directed the ‘madarsas’ to conduct videography of the entire program and submit the video and pictures to the concerned government official.