Owaisi Opposes Vande Mataram Protection Move

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly opposed the Union Cabinet’s recent decision to give Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as India’s national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
Speaking on Thursday, Owaisi argued that Vande Mataram should not be treated equally with the national anthem because, according to him, the song is centered around the worship of a goddess.
He said that India is a secular nation and does not function in the name of any particular god or goddess.
According to Owaisi, Jana Gana Mana represents the people of India and the country as a whole, without promoting any specific religion.
In a post on social media platform X, he stated that the national anthem celebrates India’s unity and diversity, while Vande Mataram carries religious symbolism that may not equally represent all citizens.
Owaisi also criticized the historical background of Vande Mataram’s author, claiming that the writer was sympathetic to British rule and held anti-Muslim views.
He further pointed out that prominent national leaders such as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Rabindranath Tagore had reservations about granting Vande Mataram the same status as the national anthem.
Referring to the Indian Constitution, Owaisi emphasized that the Preamble begins with “We, the People,” highlighting the nation’s democratic and secular identity rather than religious symbolism.
He noted that Article 1 of the Constitution defines India as a “Union of States,” not as a nation based on religious imagery like “Bharat Mata.”
Owaisi also mentioned debates from the Constituent Assembly, where proposals to begin the Constitution in the name of God or a goddess were rejected.
He argued that these historical decisions reflected India’s commitment to secularism and equal representation for all communities.
His remarks have added to the broader national debate over the role of cultural symbols, religion, and constitutional values in modern India.