Abu Azmi refused to recite Vande Mataram during the 150th anniversary recital, saying religious Muslims cannot worship anyone but Allah; BJP leaders staged a protest outside his Bandra residence, sparking a heated debate on patriotism and freedom of faith.
Vande Mataram Controversy
Samajwadi Party Maharashtra chief and MLA Abu Azmi sparked a fierce controversy after declining to join a mass recital of Vande Mataram on November 7, the 150th anniversary of the national song. Azmi told reporters that devout Muslims cannot worship anyone other than Allah and therefore cannot recite words that to some imply worship of mother-earth; he insisted he respects the song but would not be forced to sing it. His comments triggered a vocal response from BJP workers who gathered outside his Bandra residence in Mumbai to protest.
The protest outside Azmi’s home featured prominent state BJP leaders and slogans of “Vande Mataram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam had earlier invited Azmi to the mass recital near his residence, saying the song embodies nationalism and unity; BJP MLA Raj K. Purohit said those who do not recite the song lack love for the country and suggested they “go to Pakistan,” according to agency reports. Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar and state minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha were among BJP figures who joined the demonstration.
Azmi’s stance echoes his earlier objections to making Vande Mataram mandatory in schools, arguing that compulsion violates religious sensitivity. The Maharashtra education directive had instructed all state schools to sing the full version of Vande Mataram from October 31 to November 7 to mark the 150th year since Bankim Chandra Chatterji composed the song in 1875. Supporters say the recital is a patriotic observance; critics warn that forcing a national song on students or citizens from minority faiths risks deepening communal fault lines.
