Patriotism is in our DNA: Congress over MP Madarsa Board

New Delhi: After the Madhya Pradesh Madarsa Board followed in the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Shiksha Parishad`s footsteps in ordering all 256 Madrasas in the state to unfurl the national flag and recite the national anthem on August 15, the Congress party on Sunday categorically stated that the saffron party didn`t induce patriotism, it is in our DNA and should not be forced.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Tom Vadakkan said, "This whole coax of hoisting the national flag and reciting the national anthem is an unfortunate issue which is lingering in the country. Seems like, patriotism has taken birth after the swearing in of the saffron party; but to make is clear I would like to say that, patriotism is in our DNA. These issues are just to divide the country with different views and opinions which is totally wrong."

Resonating similar views, another Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad said that forcing the children and people to unfurl the national flag and recite the national anthem is wrong.

"The RSS are people who always want to divide the country in the name of national flag or national song. But the common people know it well who want to make or break the country. Forcing the children and people to unfurl the national flag and recite the national anthem on August 15 is not a good idea because it should come from the heart and not being forced on," he said.

On August 11, the Madhya Pradesh Madarsa Board had ordered all 256 madrasas in the state to unfurl the national flag and recite the national anthem on August 15.

The Madrasa Board later directed the youth to follow the order, record the video, click pictures of the event and send it to the chairman of the board.

The board has also asked the students to take out a ` Tiranga rally` on the day.

Adding to the order, the chairman of the MP Madrasa Board, Syed Imad Uddin, told ANI that it`s a routine order to celebrate the I-Day.

"It is a routine order to celebrate the I-Day and when the national flag is unfurled, the national anthem will also be sung," he said.

"Jo sachha Islam ka manne wala hai, usse lazmi taur se watan se mohabbat karna hai. (A true believer and follower of Islam will have to anyway love his/her nation)," he added.

Earlier in the week, the UP MSP issued a circular in this regard and asked all madrasas affiliated to it to comply with its orders.

The circular states that along with photographs, videos of the programmes must be shot as well.

According to the circular, the flag hoisting and recitation of the National Anthem will take place at 8 am After that, homage will be paid to the soldiers and martyrs of the freedom struggle.