Ref:- Aspiring Vice-President can't denounce National Song.
Dear Sir
This refers to the statement of Rasheed Masood, the candidate supported by UNPA (the third front) for the office of Vice-President (VP) of India , which he is repeatedly giving in electronic media that – he will not sing the National Song "Vande Mataram" because it tantamount to worshiping Mother (India), a Godess hence it is against the tenets of Islam (where only Allah can be worshiped) therefore as a true Muslim he will not commit this sacrilege of worshiping the Godess Mother India.
This is a very serious matter not just because a person nothing less than an aspiring VP of India is in fact showing disrespect and disloyalty to Indian Constitution / laws. But is all the more serious and important matter in the contemporary world where globalisation is the creed / need of the hour and which entails that lot of Muslims will live in countries where they are in minority.
Hence Muslims will have to formulate a policy / clarify at international level regarding such sensitive State matters (like National Anthems / Songs etc. of such countries where complaining Muslims are in minority).
This matter involves the following issues:-
(1)- In Hindu culture, the word Vande / Vandana does not always has religious connotations, hence can't be equated with worship in religious sense.
(2)- If for argument sake, it is conceded that Vande means worship in religious sense like Ibadat in Islam then Rasheed Masood should, by this time, have moved High Court / Supreme Court under Article 13 of the Constitution of India in order to get the legal provision (which brings " Vande Mataram" on statute as National Song) quashed as it violates, as per Rasheed Masood, the fundamental right of freedom of religion of Muslims of India.
(3)- But without thus moving High Cort / Supreme Court and without getting interim / final order from the Court, Rasheed Masood has no legal / constitutional / ethical right to willfully denounce the National Song "Vande Mataram" as being allegedly biased against Muslims.
(4)- Rasheed Masood should not take umbrage if people of India expect from an aspirant of the office of VP to have such an elementary knowledge of legal / constitutional remedies and that too for his own benefit.
This matter could have been raked up at the time of Rasheed Masood taking oath for the office of VP as every VP is constitutionally mandated to take oath for the true allegiance to the Constitution of India. But as Rasheed Masood, being a candidate for third front, hardly has any chance of wining the election and for taking oath of office of VP, therefore the need for this letter.
The third front, UNPA, owes it to India to constrain its VP candidate Rasheed Masood to move High Court / Supreme Court before repeatedly airing such anti – national sentiments in the full glare of electronic media.
Because the irresponsible behaviour of such important Muslim like Rasheed Masood (an aspirant for the office of VP) unnecessarily create wrong impression in the minds of the remaining Indians / mankind about irrational & fanatical behavior of Muslims (especially the citizens / residents of those countries where Muslims are in minority) it will be high desirable that well meaning sensible Muslims from India and from out of India should also persuade Rasheed Masood to move High Court / Supreme Court of India in order to get this issue decided / settled before airing his said explosive ideas
As this issue not only agitates and troubles the mind of quite a number of Muslims in India but in this age of globalisation this & similar other issues shall also be increasingly relevant to the large number of Muslims living in those other countries where Muslims are in minority. Hence these well meaning sensible Muslims from India and from out of India will do a great service to their religious community if they enlighten the Muslims at large, including Rasheed Masood, as to what is to be done by Indian Muslims in this case (and Muslims in similar cases in other countries where they are in minority):-
(i)- If the High Court / Supreme Court accepts Rasheed Masoods's plea in proposed writ petition under Article 226 / 32 of The Constitution of India. Or
(ii)- If the High Court / Supreme Court rejects Rasheed Masood's plea in proposed writ petition and finds nothing communally biased in National Song "Vande Mataram".
Â
Yours truly Â
Â
Hem Raj Jain
Â
208, Supriya, Plot #20, Sector – 10, Dwarka,
New Delhi -110075, INDIA .
Ph: – +91 11 32940177, Mob: 09871194983