Maharashtra

Muslims can’t say Vande Mataram

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Sunday launched a campaign to appeal to people to say Vande Mataram instead of Hello while receiving phone calls. Addressing a rally in Wardha district on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Cultural Minister Sudhir Sachhidanand Mungantiwar said that we appeal to the people to say Vande Mataram instead of Hello.

The campaign stirred a controversy. Leaders of various political parties have criticized the government for this move. Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi said on Sunday that since Balsaheb Thackeray’s time, it has always been a custom to ‘Jai Maharashtra’ in the state.

Now this new resolution is divisive. He tweeted a video saying ‘Eknath Shinde ji! You are Bala Saheb Thackeray’s Shivsainik’ whenever we meet we greet each other saying Jai Maharashtra but instead of Jai Maharashtra the GR issued to say Vande Mataram shows that you are under the pressure of BJP and RSS, who just wish to create divisions among people.

 In his video, he added that Muslims cannot say Vande Mataram, as they only bow to Allah. No true Muslim ever bows down to anything other than Allah. We love our country but cannot say Vande Mataram.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Charan Supra alleged that the official resolution was a tactic to divert attention from real issues like inflation, unemployment and rupee depreciation.

 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto on Sunday said that the Maharashtra government’s order that employees should say ‘Vande Mataram’ instead of Namaste whenever they answer phone calls is a violation of fundamental rights. .

Crasto said in a statement that ‘Vande Mataram’ is a reflection of pride and patriotic sentiments for Indians, but it is not right to force them to say so, especially when the Maharashtra government is forcing its employees to say ‘Vande Mataram’ even if they are on personal call.

Crasto said this is a violation of people’s right to freedom of expression and it also imposes a certain mindset on people. He said that people should be allowed to shout ‘Vande Mataram’ with pride but should not be forced to do so.

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