Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani on Tuesday said that forceful implementation of Vande Mataram is not in line with India’s spirit, and the organisation is considering legal options to challenge it.
Speaking to ANI, Madani noted that the organisation had extensively debated Vande Mataram in 2011. “Now they are saying that Vande Mataram will be compulsory… Forceful implementation is not the idea of India. We will challenge it legally if necessary. First, we will talk about it and try to bring the civil society together,” he said.
The Jamiat President also clarified his remarks on the meaning of “jihad” amid controversy, stating that the term has been wrongly associated with negativity by central and state ministries. “Jihad is a pious word. We are fighting for its real meaning. Terms like Love jihad, Land jihad, ‘Thook’ jihad, and Vote jihad are being used to abuse Islam,” he alleged.
Earlier, Madani questioned the independence of the judiciary, citing cases like Babri Masjid and triple talaq, and emphasised that the Supreme Court should be considered “supreme” only if it upholds the Constitution and the law.
His comments on both Vande Mataram and jihad have drawn strong backlash from political and religious groups, including BJP leaders and members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad.
Meanwhile, in Parliament, an all-party meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla resolved the impasse over discussions on electoral reforms. Discussions on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram are scheduled for 12 noon on Monday, December 8, while discussions on election reforms will follow on 12 noon, Tuesday, December 9. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed the schedule via a post on X.
