Divergent views on ‘Vande Mataram’

NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (PTI) — The issue of he recital of "Vande Mataram" and "Saraswati Vandana" in schools in UP today evoked divergent opinions with a Union Minister defending the move as not being "anti-Muslim" while Muslim leaders termed it against "tenets of Islam" and "violative of fundamental rights."

The Qaumi Mushawarat Committee (QMC) demanded that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee call a meeting of the National Integration Council to discuss the issue, while the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) criticised the issuing of the ‘fatwa’ by various Muslim organisations to protest against the UP Government’s move in this regard.

Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, flaying the parties opposing "Saraswati Vandana" and "Vande Mataram", said the criticism was "a conspiracy to mislead the Muslims" in the country.

"Vande Mataram" was not anti-Muslim and there was an attempt to give it a political colour, mislead Muslims and exploit their sentiments to gain political mileage," Mr Naqvi said in Jaipur where he had gone in connection with an election tour.

Stating that "Vande Mataram" was a freedom struggle song, sung by all Muslim leaders during the Independence movement, he said, "to term it as anti-Muslim is nothing but an attempt to create a vicious atmosphere in the country by exploiting their sentiments."

The Vice-President of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, opposing the reported move by the UP Government, told reporters in Lucknow that it was against "the basic tenets of Islam".

"In no circumstances can we accept it," the noted Shia scholar said, adding the UP Government had "no power to control the religious prayers of any community whether in educational institutions or in religious places."

QMC convener Javed Habeeb demanding a meeting of the National Integration Council to discuss the controversy, also wanted a national debate on the issue.

He also threatened to move the Supreme Court unless the Centre took steps to stop the UP Government from implementing the move.

The VHP leader and President of the Ram Janambhoomi Trust, Mahant Ramchandra Paramhans, told PTI in Ayodhya that the issuing of the "fatwa" by various Muslim organisations was "anti-national" and "unacceptable".

"Our ancient cultural heritage is not the monopoly of any particular religious group," he said, adding "nobody should be given the liberty to issue such objectionable fatwas" as Indian tradition was a "blend of all major religions-Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism."

Cong stake claim to form govt in Goa

PANAJI, Nov 20 (PTI) — In a dramatic development, the opposition Congress in Goa today staked a claim to form a government securing the support of four rebel MLAs of the Goa Rajiv Congress (GRC), giving a new twist to the political turmoil in the state triggered by revolt in the Wilfred D’Souza ministry.

An 18-member Congress delegation, led by party high command observer Govindrao Adik, met Governor Lt Gen (retd) J.F.R. Jacob and submitted a memorandum staking the claim to form the government headed by its legislature party leader Luizinhio Faleiro.

Adik claimed the Congress strength in the 40-member state legislative assembly had gone up to 21 with the support of four GRC members — Dayanand Narverkar, who was sacked from the Cabinet and Subhash Shirodkar and Pandu Vasu Naik, who quit in solidarity with the dismissal, Deputy Speaker Deu Mandrekar and two of the three Independents.

He told a press conference after meeting the Governor, said the D’Souza ministry had been reduced to a minority and it ‘has no legal or moral right to continue in office.’

Meanwhile, the three-party coordination committee of the ruling combine in Goa today reposed full faith in the leadership of Chief Minister Wilfred D’Souza.

The meeting of the Goa Rajiv Congress (GRC) party, MGP and BJP held at the Altinho official residence of D’Souza, chalked out the strategy to be adopted on the floor of the legislative assembly when the House meets for the winter session from December 2, GRC general secretary Suresh Parulekar said.

D’Souza, who is in London in connection with Goa’s participation in the World Travel Mart (WTM), would return on Sunday and convene a Cabinet meeting on Monday, he said.

As many as 14 MLAs were present at the meeting, he said adding that besides D’Souza, Tourism Minister Carmo Pegado (GRC) and Shashikala Kakodkar and Parshuram Kotkar (MGP) were out of station while two Independent MLAs supporting the government were not eligible to attend the meeting.

Parulekar claimed that the government was ‘very stable’.

PANAJI (PTI): The Goa Governor, Lt J.F.R. Jacob (retd) said that he would go by the Constitution and the recent Supreme Court judgement in the current political crisis in the state brought on by the resignation of three ministers from the Wilfred D'Souza Cabinet.

He told a delegation of four BJP MLAs, led by the party’s legislature wing leader Sripad Naik, that majority had to be proved on the floor of the House.

The MLAs apprised him of the BJP decision to continue support to the government from outside.

Mr Manohar Parrikar, BJP MLA, told reporters that the Governor made it clear that if any party claimed the government had lost its majority, it would have to be proved on the floor of the House as laid down in a recent Supreme Court judgement.

The state assembly has already been summoned to meet on December 2 for the winter session.