You don't want to sing 'Vande Mataram'? Don't sing it!

You don't want to sing 'Vande Mataram'? Don't sing it!
Wednesday, November 04, 2009 14:06 IST
By Subhash K Jha, Santa Banta News Network
/> Says Javed Akhtar, "This controversy is old and obsolete. Vande mataram is part of Bankimchandra Chatterjee's novel Anand Math. All the villains in this novel are Muslims.

Ultimately the Muslims lose and the novelist feels happy that the Britishers have come to save us from these so-called ‘barbaric' Muslims. This is the song of the militant sadhus in this novel.

There were two stanzas of strong religiosity in this song. When talk arose of making Vande mataram a national anthem it was pointed out by rational elements that the novel was anti-Muslim.

The Congress decided to take out the two rabidly religious stanzas and the rest of the song was retained. The controversy ended there. What is this new resistance? The objection is redundant. You don't want to sing Vande mataram? Don't sing it! Who is forcing you? I sing it. I don't see it as objectionable. If you do, don't sing it.

Why do you insist on bringing such irrelevant matters centrestage? It's a non -issue and uneccessarily provocative. I've written songs with Vande mataram in them.

I used the term Vande mataram in Priyadarshan's Saza-e-Kala Pani. Then I used the term for a song in Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and finally for a song that's used at the military academy at Dehra Doon. Please don't make an issue out of a non-issue. These are non- entities."
Ramayana: Part 1 Wraps Up Filming - Ranbir Kapoor Calls It His Most Important Role!

The much-awaited mythological epic Ramayana: Part 1, helmed by acclaimed director Nitesh Tiwari, has

Tuesday, July 01, 2025
Sara Ali Khan and Aditya Roy Kapur Take Mumbai Metro Ride to Promote Metro In Dino!

In a refreshing break from the usual film promotion routine, Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and Aditya Roy

Tuesday, July 01, 2025
Vaani Kapoor's Thrilling OTT Debut 'Mandala Murders' to Premiere on Netflix!

Netflix and Yash Raj Films (YRF) are set to release their highly anticipated crime thriller series, Mandala

Tuesday, July 01, 2025
'Four More Shots Please!' Season 4: Prime Video Confirms Final Season of the Hit Series!

Prime Video has officially announced the fourth and final season of its popular series Four More Shots

Tuesday, July 01, 2025
Tanvi The Great Trailer Receives Rave Reviews from Shah Rukh Khan and Anil Kapoor Ahead of Its Release!

The trailer for Tanvi The Great, the much-anticipated directorial project from veteran actor Anupam Kher, has

Tuesday, July 01, 2025