BAREILLY MADARSAS MAY FACE ACTION UNDER NSA
LUCKNOW: Bareilly’s Barelvi madarsas that openly defied the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive and refused to sing the national anthem may face legal action. The administration may impose the National Security Act as well.
“Singing national anthem is the fundamental duty of every citizen. If any madarsa had violated the government order of singing national anthem during Independence Day celebrations, they will face action. But madarsas will be asked to explain why they violated the order,” said Bareilly divisional commissioner PV Jaganmohan.
He added, “We will carry out an inquiry on whatever complaint we receive. The administration is waiting for madarsas to submit footages of I-Day celebrations.”
The Bareilly district administration said they would look into the matter and those found guilty would be punished. “NSA could also be slapped against them as not singing national anthem amounts to being antinational.” the commissioner said. The official said madarsas in Bareilly were not above the law and that most of the madarsas in Lucknow and elsewhere followed the government order.
Students at the Manzar-e-Islam – the biggest Barelvi madarsa in the city – hoisted the Tricolour but didn’t sing the national anthem.
Many madarsas across Uttar Pradesh defied a controversial state government order that asked staff and students at the Islamic educational institutions to sing the national anthem and videograph Independence Day celebrations.
In Kanpur, Meerut and Bareilly, three of the biggest madrasa centres in the state, students sang ‘Saare jahan se achha’, a 20th century patriotic song penned by the poet Mohammad Iqbal, and did not record proceedings.
“Students hoisted the flag and celebrated the occasion with traditional fervour. The government order is an attempt to test our patriotism which is wrong,” said Haji Mohd Saleeh, convener of the Sunni Ulema Council.
The controversy was sparked by a circular passed by the Yogi Adityanath government last week that asked the Islamic schools to hoist the Tricolour and sing the national anthem. The order, which made photography and videography of event mandatory, argued that visual proof would help the board in encouraging participants to improve their future performance.
Many of the state’s 16,000 madarsas did not take the order well and many prominent clerics publicly opposed it.
In Bareilly, students at the Manzar-e-Islam – the biggest Barelvi madarsa in the city – hoisted the Tricolour but didn’t sing the national anthem. Instead, around 500 students gathered at the open prayer hall to sing ‘Sare jahan se achha’. The madrasa authorities also refrained from videography.
“Traditionally, we do not sing the national anthem during Independence Day or Republic Day celebrations. We only followed convention this time,” a senior cleric told HT on the condition of anonymity.
In Meerut, all madarsas organised Independence Day programme on their premises and hoisted the Tricolour. Teachers and Muslim clerics spoke about the sacrifices made by all communities, including Muslims, in India’s freedom struggle.
Mufti Syed Ahmad of madarsa Noor-ul-Islam said, “We cannot worship anyone else other than Allah.”
In Kanpur too, orders to videograph the event or sing the national anthem weren’t followed. Haji Mohd Saleeh said the students sang ‘Saare jahan se achha’ to show their love towards their country.
“For us it is also a national song,” he said.
In Varanasi, the students of madarsa Jamia Islamia sang the national anthem and patriotic songs after flag hoisting.