A.R.Rahman (Fan Club)-Part2 - Page 6

"Muslims lives were sacrificed for the Independence of India. Not only ordinary Muslim lives but many learned scholars lost their lives. The question of loyalty for Muslims is asked to be proved by other organizations. Muslims need not prove their loyalty. There are organizations that supported the British and had not even participated in the war of independence. These organizations are still not happy with the independence of India and are conducting condolence procession on 14th August every year by taking a lamp in their hands, they are taking oath for Akhand Bharath vowing that there will include neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh into Indian territory. These organizations never host the Indian flag in their offices and all these organizations are growing under Sangh family." says Dr. Haneef Shabab, Secretary Shams English Medium High School in Bhatkal. He was talking on the completion of 100 days of Vandemataram.

He presented the whole history of Vandemataram; he also read the poem which is written in Sanskrit language. Not even a well educated person can read Sanskrit so easily. A translation was also presented by him. While informing the audience and others he said that Bankam Chandrchat Upadhyaye born on 26 June 1836, the Britishers changed his name to Chatterji. He started a newspaper in 1858 by name Bhang Darshan. He wrote Vandemataram in 1862. This poem is also present in the novel of Annand Muth on 1881-82. Robindernath Tagore also liked this poem. A translation was also presented by him where India is being called mother and is worshipped. This poem came to effect on 5 Aug 1905 against the division of Bengal movement. Same year it tried to be national song in Varanasi Congress convention. Naresh Gupta translated the whole novel into Hindi on 1906. Islam Darshan a Bengal newspaper first opposed this song on 1920. In 1923 Congress Kakinada convention, this issue was raised between Moulana Muhammed Ali Jawhar, Pandit Vishnu Digambar Poliskar and other leaders creating a ruckus. Muslim league had opposed and condemned congress for accepting this song as national song on 1933. A committee which consists of Jawaharlal Nehru, Muhammed Ali Jauhar, Moulana Abulkalam Azad and Subhash Chandrabose was formed to see the opposition of Muslims for this song. The committee submitted report that only 2 lines and the rest cannot be read. National students association had totally opposed as this song hurts the communal feelings.

Dr. Haneef Shabab named many organizations who oppose this song. Muslim league had run a movement to stop this song to move further in 1938. He also added that the first Hindi song of vandemataram was sung in Hindi film in 1945. In 1950 where Dr. Rajandra Prasad made the law of secular India then he announced that Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem and that Vandemataram also has equal status and hence shall be regarded as national song. In 1951 Mannade have given it lyrics. In 1964 this song was sung on Dilip Kumar in the film leader. This song was the integral part of this film. In 1998, UP BJP government had ordered the singing of Saraswati Vandana with vandemataram in all the schools and it was made compulsory but Moulana Ali Miyan Nadvi opposed this and then the BJP Kalyan Singh government refuted this order. After that during the Independence Day celebration of golden jubilee, A R Rahman sang this song in a new style with which it became more popular.

Dr. Shabab also read out some main parts of novel translated in which not only vandemataram song but the whole novel was against the Muslims. He further said that in this novel, they "malich" for Muslims which means very backward or Dalit.

Dr. Shabab said that RSS or Jansanghi never participated in Indian independence; only Khilafat movement was active, under whose help India got independence. Dr. further added at that point of time the RSS had supported the British. He added that from the Independence Day, till date they do not celebrate Independence Day. He questioned the RSS as to who are they to tell the Muslims to go to Pakistan or elsewhere. The Muslims had a part in the war of independence and if wished would have gone to Pakistan but they chose to stay in Secular India. If India was not a secular country at the time of division then maybe the Muslims would have gone to Pakistan, but then India was declared a secular country and constitution grants the freedom to practice all religion here. Muslims in India are here by their choice and not by chance, this should be remembered by the RSS.

Dr. added that Muslims will come forward to sacrifice their lives if India ever needs their lives. He added that Muslims will protect this country and will never retract their steps when India is in trouble or any kind of war. The way Muslims had sacrificed their lives similarly if need arises now also Muslims will sacrifice their lives.

When times calls they will even sacrifice their lives for the motherland of India but if anyone say to worship India as God and sing vandemataram then this will not be possible at all. He also stated that Muslims are not Hypocrite who are dual faced unlike others. Muslims do not worship any idols accept Allah. Those people are not muslims who keep non Muslim wives and worship idols at home. Now media people are presenting these Muslims who have Hindu wives and keeping idols at home as Muslim representative. These people mostly film actors have no religion at all. He added that only keeping Muslim names are not enough for Muslim, they should obey Islamic rules and Quranic direction. He said those people who are keeping Hindu wives and worshiping idols or dargah or any other thing other than Allah then those are not Muslims at all.

He requested that no Muslims should be forced to change their mode of worship or add anything new in religion.

Programme commenced at 11:00 am with recitation of Quran by School teacher Abdul Azeezur Rahman Nadvi. Janab Ashraf Barmawar gave welcome speech and conducted vote of thanks at the end.

It should be noted that Dr. Haneef Shabab is the General Secretary of Majlise Islah wo Tanzeem Bhatkal, he is also a journalist and have good skills of writing articles in Urdu newspapers.