Islamic seminaries in India forced to sing Hindu nationalist song
Muslim groups say newly elected BJP government in West Bengal is forcing majoritarian Hindu symbolism into Islamic religious education
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — The newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in India’s West Bengal state has ordered all Islamic seminaries to make singing of the Hindu nationalist song “Vande Mataram” compulsory during prayer assemblies.
The move has triggered backlash from Muslim organizations and religious scholars, who describe it as an imposition of Hindu nationalist ideology on Islamic institutions.
The order applies to both government-aided and privately managed madrasas — Islamic educational institutions where students study religious subjects alongside modern curriculum — across state, according to official notification issued by authorities.
Under directive, students and staff members attending morning assemblies in seminaries will be required to sing “Vande Mataram,” a song heavily promoted by Hindu nationalist groups and BJP-led governments across India.
State authorities defended the decision by claiming it would promote patriotism and national unity.
However, Muslim groups and religious leaders strongly opposed the move, arguing that forcing Islamic seminaries to sing controversial song violates religious freedom and ignores longstanding objections raised by sections of Muslim community.
Many Muslims object to compulsory recitation of “Vande Mataram” because portions of the song describe the nation as mother goddess figure, which scholars say conflicts with Islamic belief in worship of one God alone.
Debates surrounding the song have intensified in recent years as BJP governments in different Indian states increasingly pushed its mandatory use in schools, educational institutions and official events.
Analysts say such measures form part of broader Hindutva-driven efforts to reshape India’s secular institutions around majoritarian Hindu cultural and religious symbolism.
Maulana Arshad Madani, president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, recently criticized attempts to impose “Vande Mataram” in educational institutions, saying BJP-ruled states were deepening hostility toward Muslims under the guise of nationalism.
Muslim organizations in West Bengal have warned they may challenge the latest order in court.
West Bengal is home to one of India’s largest Muslim populations and has an extensive network of madrasas serving thousands of students, particularly from economically marginalized communities.
Political tensions over religious identity, education and cultural practices have sharply escalated in India under BJP governments, with Muslim groups repeatedly accusing authorities of targeting Islamic institutions, mosques, religious practices and minority identity through policies framed as national integration or reform.
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