SUPREME COURT DISALLOWS 'FORCIBLE' SINGING OF NATIONAL ANTHEM AS WELL AS NATIONAL SONGS. HOLDS IT AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF RELIGION.

SANGH PARIVAR'S CAMPAIGN TO FORCE MUSLIM CHILDREN TO SING VANDE MATARAM IN SCHOOL AND MADARSAS IS A DIRECT CONTEMPT OF THE HIGHEST COURT IN THE LAND.

MEDIA COLLABORATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY WITH SANGH PRIVAR'S CAMPAIGN IS AIDING AN ABETTING AN ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN.

LK ADVANI AND ASHOK SINGHAL CAN BE HAULED IN FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.

DR. A. R. MOOKHI WRITES:

In the state of Kerala there is a sect of Christians called Jehovah's
witnesses.Singing National anthems is taboo in their religion. Some students belonging to this community refused to sing "Jana,Gana, Mana" on religious ground.They were expelled from the school. This case [Bijoe Emannuel v/s State of Kerala 1986] was decided by the Supreme Court in favor of the students. Their expulsion was struck down as unconstitutional and in violation of their rights to religious freedom. The court ended the judgment on a strong note: "Our tradition teaches tolerance, our philosophy preaches tolerance. Our constitution practises tolerance. Let us not dilute it." This fact that Apex court of the country has ruled that not to sing even the National anthem is not against the law surely can not be unknown to stalwarts of the BJP. Is it not unconstitutional for the BJP governments in some states to make singing of Vande Mataram mandatory?

JYOTI PUNWANI WRITES IN THE TIMES OF INDIA:

" The judge ( Justice Srikrishna of Srikrishna Commission on Mumbai riots) asked (Anil) Shrouti (Sr. PI of Ghatkoper Police Station during the riots) point blank: against the backdrop of the tension already generated by the Babri Masjid controversy and Advani's rath yatra, could he still maintain that allowing Hindu groups to shout such slogans ( Is desh mein rehna hoga to Vande Mataram Kehna hoga) would not have contributed to communal tension? When the officer grudgingly accepted this reasoning, his lawyer sprang to his defence. "Anyone who does not agree to recite Vande Mataram is anti-national," he said hotly.

"Who is the VHP to say that you must recite it to prove your patriotism?" countered Justice Srikrishna. "That's nothing but fascism".

Ghulam Muhammed