Indore, April 8 A controversy erupted on Wednesday after a Congress councillor refused to sing "Vande Mataram," citing Islamic beliefs, during a discussion on the Indore Municipal Corporation's budget.
The refusal by Fauzia Sheikh Alim to sing the national anthem prompted councillors from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to rush to the chairman's podium and raise slogans.
Amid the uproar, Chairman Munnalal Yadav directed Alim to leave the House.
The Congress councillor later told reporters that her religion does not allow her to sing "Vande Mataram" – a Sanskrit phrase meaning "I bow to thee, Mother."
Alim said she enjoys religious freedom under the Constitution, and no one can force her to sing "Vande Mataram."
As the controversy escalated, Alim said she respects the national song and will continue to do so.
She said that she had stood up to speak at the municipal corporation meeting to raise the issue of contaminated drinking water, but in an attempt to distract the House from the more fundamental issues, BJP councillors asked her to sing "Vande Mataram" first.
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava described the Congress councillor's refusal to sing "Vande Mataram" as unfortunate and alleged that she deliberately arrives late to the municipal corporation meeting so as not to participate in the mass singing of the national song.
Municipal Corporation Leader of the Opposition and Congress councillor Chintu Chouksey distanced himself from the controversy, stating that the party has no concern with Alim's "personal opinion" on "Vande Mataram."
"Vande Mataram is ingrained in every citizen of India. Singing the national song should be mandatory for every citizen," he added.
Written in 1875 and later included in Bankim Chandra's novel Anandamath (1882), ‘Vande Mataram’ became a rallying cry during the freedom movement.
"Vande Mataram" was first published in the literary magazine "Bangadarshan" as part of Chatterjee's novel "Anandamath."