'Saffronisation Of Education': Muslim Students Compelled To Sing Vande Mataram, Says Madani

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) The National Governing Body Meeting of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) convened at the in Bhopal on Saturday under the Presidentship of Maulana Mahmood Madani, adopting a series of major resolutions on issues ranging from“Islamophobia” and“madrasa protection” to the“Uniform Civil Code (UCC)”,“Waqf reforms”,“Love Jihad” propaganda and the ongoing crisis in Palestine.

More than 1,500 council members from across the country participated.

In its resolution on“saffronisation of education”, the governing body condemned alleged attempts to compel Muslim students to sing Vande Mataram and participate in practices such as Surya Namaskar.

“Islam is founded upon the absolute belief in the Oneness of Allah. Therefore, no Muslim may worship anyone besides Allah, nor participate in rituals or religious symbols that belong exclusively to polytheistic faiths,” it said.

The JUH expressed“grave concern” over what it described as a rising wave of“Islamophobia”, 'discrimination”, and“hate-motivated violence.”

Citing the role of sections of media and politics in fuelling hostility, the organisation demanded a concrete national action plan to curb hate speech, strict accountability for law-enforcement agencies, and cancellation of candidature of political figures promoting communal rhetoric.

It also called for a dedicated law against hate crimes.

The meeting issued a strong statement on the protection of Islamic madrasas, accusing“communal governments” of attempting to malign or shut down institutions through“fabricated reports”.

Referring to actions in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Assam, the JUH urged the Centre to prosecute those spreading misinformation against madrasas. It also endorsed ongoing legal efforts and recommended that madrasa administrators strictly adhere to“documentation and compliance guidelines” issued earlier.

It urged community members to support new schools-especially girls' institutions-and teacher-training centres, while also advocating for Islamic-oriented preschools.

The JUH sharply criticised the push for a Uniform Civil Code, calling it an attempt to undermine religious freedom.

A resolution on the narrative of“Love Jihad” described the term as defamatory and Islamophobic, arguing that“Jihad” is a spiritual and humanitarian concept distorted by anti-Muslim forces, and it also urged the government to ban inflammatory terminology.

On Palestine, the JUH reiterated support for a sovereign state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital and urged India to uphold its traditional pro-Palestine stance.

MENAFN29112025000231011071ID1110413135