The ‘Vande Mataram’ Controversy – My Views

 

I have been preoccupied with things that really matter, so I haven’t really had the time to go through the news articles pertaining to this nonsense. But I did catch the headlines and heard what some of my friends had to say about it.

On the forum I visit, I saw some of the board members had discussed the issue as well. Thought of sharing my views. So here is a compilation of my posts from the forum:

In my opinion, the issue is being blown out of proportion, by both sides.

• A fatwa calling for a ban - senseless.
• Every one else yelling about the fatwa - also pointless.

Gaana hai to gaayo. Nahin gaana to mat gaayo. Koi kya ukhaad lega!?!

I have run into people who think the composer of Vande Mataram is A.R. Rahman (and I thought I was ignorant)!!

There are others who aren't sure if it was penned by Tagore or Bankim Chandra!!

"I can't seem to recall. I am sure it was one of them"

There. That shows how much people know or care about the "National Song". I don't even want to guess the number of people who actually know the lyrics. OR for that matter, can correctly guess what language it is!!

Then, one fatwaa comes out (as senseless as THAT is) - all of a sudden every one has become super patriotic. Laanat hai.

Jab tak koi controversy nahin thi - people couldn’t care less. And now!! Har koi apne aap ko Bhagat Singh samjh raha hai!

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When the Vatican made noise about the Da Vinci Code and said it was hurtful to the Catholics, my views were:

If a work of fiction can shake your faith in god or make you question your belief, then you might as well not have any faith at all!

Similar logic here. I refuse to believe that it's this one song that is the foundation of one's national pride or whatever you choose to call it.

If someone believes that by not singing Vande Mataram, one is not fulfilling his duty towards the country – you need to get some help. Immediately.

It's not like there is any shortage of REAL problems, in the country - to worry about.

If the ban is on Muslims singing the song -

Well don't sing. Shouldn't matter to anyone else. Why should it!? It bothers X, he won't sing it. It doesn't bother Y - he will sing, if he wants to.

If the ban is on playing the song for everyone -

Paagal ho gaye ho kya?!? If you insist on that, the next thing will be the saffron brigade demanding that the loudspeakers from the mosques be removed.

India is most definitely a secular country (at least on paper) BUT there has to be a limit to how much you can get away with, with pissing off the majority. I am sure that will be factored in, before anything this absurd is suggested. Well, it BETTER BE.

It works both ways. Simply put -dikhaawon pe mat jaao, apni akal ladaao.

Most importantly, it's not like the common man starts off his day by assembling fellow citizens in a park and singing the song. Stop making an issue out of something that really isn't one.