HYDERABAD, 6 September 2006 — A Muslim minister in Andhra Pradesh has opposed the state government’s directive for mass singing of the national song “Vande Mataram” in all educational institutions on Sept. 7.

Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Fareeduddin said the singing should not be made compulsory and it should be left to the choice of minority educational institutions.

The education department had last week issued an order that “Vande Mataram” be sung in all schools and colleges to mark the centenary year of the national song.

With Muslim religious leaders and a section of political leaders opposing the song on the ground that it violates their religious belief, a controversy has cropped up over whether Muslim students should attend school and college today. Fareed cited Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh’s clarification that singing of the song was not compulsory but only voluntary.

Education Department officials said they would go ahead with the implementation of their directive for mass singing of first two stanzas of the song at 11 a.m. on Sept. 7. The directive is for all government, aided, private and residential schools.

But there is huge confusion. While School Education Minister Rajyalaxmi said it was compulsory for all schools to sing the song, Information and Public Relations Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir claimed that it was only optional.

Shabbir said the state Cabinet took no decision for compulsory singing of the controversial song in educational institutions. The directive has sparked a controversy, especially in Hyderabad, where hundreds of schools are either run by Muslim management or have predominantly Muslim students. Several private and aided schools have already decided not to arrange the singing to avoid any controversy.

Muslims constitute 40 percent of Hyderabad’s four million population. Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), the powerful political party, which has one MP and five state legislators from the city, has strongly opposed the government order.

MIM President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi said Muslims could never sing “Vande Mataram” as it goes against Islam’s basic belief of oneness of Allah.

“History also shows that the song was used to spread hatred against Muslims and provoke them,” Owaisi said.