Demand for national anthem at madrasas sparks slugfest in Karnataka | Bengaluru - Hindustan Times
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Demand for national anthem at madrasas sparks slugfest in Karnataka

By, Bengaluru
May 17, 2022 12:28 AM IST

Pramod Muthalik, the chief of Rashtriya Hindu Sena, which is the parent organisation of the right-wing group Sri Ram Sene, in a video demanded the state and the central government ban all madrasas and that national anthem is not sung there

Days after singing the national anthem was made mandatory at all madrasas in Uttar Pradesh, calls for a similar order has arisen in Karnataka, sparking a political slugfest in the state.

Days after singing the national anthem was made mandatory at all madrassas in Uttar Pradesh, calls for a similar order has arisen in Karnataka, sparking a political slugfest in the state. (PTI)
Days after singing the national anthem was made mandatory at all madrassas in Uttar Pradesh, calls for a similar order has arisen in Karnataka, sparking a political slugfest in the state. (PTI)

Pramod Muthalik, the chief of Rashtriya Hindu Sena, which is the parent organisation of the right-wing group Sri Ram Sene, in a video demanded the state and the central government ban all madrasas.

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In the video, he said the organisation would take out a campaign if the Centre and the state fail to agree to his demand. “Hindu taxpayers’ money is being wasted on madrasas education in the country,” he remarked.

“The government provides various grants to them. Yet there is no national anthem being sung or government syllabus being taught in madrasas.

“No rules and regulations are observed here. Most of them are bogus. The grants provided by the government are being wasted on this Arabic education,” Muthalik alleged.

He also demanded an investigation in this regard. “If the state and the central government do not heed our demand for the ban, then Sri Ram Sene will start an active campaign against the madrasas,” he warned.

Former Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa said he was happy knowing about the UP government’s order and said it was an important decision. “I was happy just hearing that order and this is something that I welcome. Not just this, even the azaan call should stop it,” said Eshwarappa.

Muslim community leaders and Opposition Congress lashed out at the right-wing groups, saying that the practice of singing the national anthem was already in place at madrasas. Congress leader Zameer Ahmed Khan said that Pramod Muthalik should not teach Muslims about the national anthem “It is our identity and we are proud of it,” said the Congress leader while inaugurating the government Urdu Model primary school in Bengaluru on Monday.

“We recited the national anthem. We always begin the school with a good note by reciting the national anthem, Pramod Mutalik need not lecture us. There is an effort to prepare ground towards forthcoming elections in the state,” he said.

Congress leader NA Haris also said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has a history of not raising the national flag at its headquarters. “Let them hoist the flag and sing national first at the RSS headquarters, and then teach us,” he told reporters.

Karnataka Waqf Board chairman N K Mohammed Shafi Saadi said that he welcomed an order on the matter and said that politics over the decision is an attempt to create division in the society. Nationalism and patriotism should come from within and divisive people should be kept aside, he said.

Hitting out at Pramod Mutalik, Shafi said, “Those who hoisted the Pakistan flag in Sindhagi need not teach us lessons about patriotism.” He was referring to the incident where two Sri Rama Sene workers were arrested for hoisting the Pakistani flag in Sindaghi to create communal tensions in 2012.

“There are 1,990 madrasas under the Waqf Board where the national anthem is sung. It is regretful that some elements are trying to fan communal hatred by purpose,” he said.

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