Controversy Over Vande Mataram Recitation in Jammu and Kashmir Schools

The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) has urged the government to retract a directive mandating Vande Mataram recitation in Jammu and Kashmir schools, citing religious conflicts with Islamic beliefs. The MMU criticized the order as an imposition of Hindutva ideology on the Muslim-majority region and called for respect for religious diversity.

The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a collection of religious bodies in Jammu and Kashmir, calls for the rollback of a government order. The directive mandates the recitation of Vande Mataram in schools, deemed contradictory to Islamic belief in monotheism.

Headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the MMU expressed strong concerns about the directive from the region's Department of Culture. The order aims for the schools to mark the 150th year of Vande Mataram through cultural events. The MMU contends this act is un-Islamic and suggests alternative expressions of nationalism.

The amalgam accuses the directive of promoting Hindutva under cultural guise. It's seen as unjust to force students against their faith, and the MMU appeals to local leaders, including the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister, for immediate revocation to respect religious beliefs.

(With inputs from agencies.)