"Forceful implementation is not the idea of India": Jamiat President Mehmood Madani on Vande Mataram

New Delhi [India], December 2 (ANI): Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madani said on Tuesday that the organisation had debated Vande Mataram extensively in 2011 and noted that forceful implementation is not the idea of India.
Madani also said that his organisation is mulling legal options to challenge the recital of Vande Mataram.
"On Vande Mataram, our organisation debated a lot in 2011 and earlier as well. 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," Madani told ANI.
A day after controversy erupted over Madani's remarks over the meaning of "jihad," the Jamiat President, in an exclusive interview with ANI, clarified on his remarks and claimed that it is actually the Centre and state ministries which have put a negative association on the word, whereas its history is actually "pious" and the term is actually to fight against terrorists.
Saying that the term "jihad" is being used in a planned manner, he alleged that various terms, like "Love jihad, land Jihad, 'thook' jihad, and vote jihad," are being coined to abuse Muslims in the country.
"The entire ministry, be it centre, or be it state, have decided that if anything negative related to Muslims comes to light, it will be called Jihad. Jihad is a pious word. We are fighting for the real meaning of jihad. The term jihad is being used to abuse Islam in a very planned manner," the Jamiat president said.
The Jamiat President, while speaking earlier during the National Governing Body meeting in Bhopal, questioned the independence of the judiciary, citing cases like Babri Masjid and triple talaq.
He stated that the Supreme Court should be considered "supreme" only if it upholds the Constitution and the law.
Regarding the term "jihad, he said that "Enemies of Islam and Muslims have made 'jihad' a synonym of abuse, conflict and violence. Terms like Love jihad, Land jihad, 'Taleem' Jihad, 'Thook' Jihad are used to insult the faith of Muslims. Unfortunately, responsible people in government and media feel no shame in using such terms."
The comments received strong backlash from various people, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, and also members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, among others.
Meanwhile, in a breakthrough to the stalemate in Parliament over opposition's demand for discussion on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, an all-party meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has decided that discussion on 150th Anniversary of 'Vande Mataram' will take place from 12 noon on Monday and discussion on election reforms from 12 noon on Tuesday.
The resolution of the impasse has paved the way for the smooth functioning of the Lok Sabha from tomorrow. The House witnessed adjournments from the start of the winter session of Parliament on Monday.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju informed about the decisions taken at all-party meeting.
"During the All Party Meeting Chaired by Hon'ble Speaker Lok Sabha today, it has been decided to hold discussion in Lok Sabha on 150th Anniversary of National Song 'Vande Mataram' from 12 Noon on Monday 8th Dec and discussion on Election Reforms from 12 noon on Tuesday 9th Dec," Rijiju said in a post on X. (ANI)