New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
on Wednesday contended that he was not present when the Jamiat
Ulama-e-Hind adopted a resolution at its 30th general session
in Deoband on Tuesday asking Muslims not to recite `Vande
Mataram`.
"Home Minister P Chidambaram was at the JUH conference
at Deoband on November 3 between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon. No
resolution was passed during that period. When he spoke, he
was not aware of any resolution relating to Vande Mataram or
women`s reservation and television," a statement issued by his
aide said.
Besides, the Home Minister was reading from a prepared
text and there was no occasion to depart from that text, the
statement said reacting to a statement of BJP leader Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi.
Through its resolution, Jamiat has asked members of the
community not to recite `Vande Mataram` on the grounds that
some verses of the national song are against the tenets of
Islam.
The Jamiat`s opposition to the recitation of the song
came when it supported seminary Darul Uloom`s `fatwa` (edict)
which opposes any prayer involving the song.
Naqvi had yesterday said the presence of Chidambaram at
the programme "gave legitimacy to the resolution...it is a
matter of concern."
Bureau Report
