As educational institutions across West Bengal reopened after the summer vacation, nearly 1,600 madrasas functioning under the state’s Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department reportedly began the academic session by singing Vande Mataram during their morning prayers and assemblies.
According to an exclusive report published by Telegraph India on June 1, madrasa authorities across the state complied with the government’s directive by organising the singing of the national song and documenting the event through video recordings. These recordings were subsequently uploaded to official WhatsApp groups managed by school sub-inspectors and district inspectors of schools to demonstrate compliance with the state government’s order.
The development marks a significant implementation of one of the key educational directives introduced by the newly formed BJP government in West Bengal under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Videos Uploaded to Education Department Monitoring Groups
The report stated that heads of educational institutions were asked to ensure implementation of the directive and provide evidence of compliance.
One such example emerged from Dahakanda Siddiquia High Madrasah in the Mathurapur-I block of South 24 Parganas district, where approximately 350 students reportedly participated in singing Vande Mataram during the morning assembly.
Finally, madrasas are singing Vande Mataram in West Bengal under the BJP. Great. Now can we talk about the unemployment, communal tension, and economic mess that still remain?#MadeInPlay #BachpanManao #TelanganaFormationDay pic.twitter.com/ax5Ixu70aG
— Arffa Khannum (@ARFAKHANUMS) June 2, 2026
Speaking about the exercise, headmaster Seikh Manjur Ahmed said the institution had distributed PDF copies containing all six stanzas of the national song among students. The song was played through loudspeakers while students joined in the rendition.
According to him, recordings of the event were subsequently uploaded to the relevant official WhatsApp groups monitored by education department officials.
He further stated that the madrasa administration expects students to memorise all six stanzas within a week, after which the song would be performed without technological assistance.
Teachers belonging to different communities also reportedly joined students during the assembly. Following the rendition of Vande Mataram, students sang the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, in keeping with the assembly programme.
Government Order Made Vande Mataram Mandatory in Schools
The singing of Vande Mataram in madrasas follows an official directive issued by the West Bengal government on May 14.
The order mandated that all state-run and state-aided educational institutions include the singing of Vande Mataram during their daily morning assemblies before the commencement of classes.
The communication sent to school heads emphasised that every student should participate in the singing of the national song. The directive specifically stated that the practice should be made mandatory across schools to ensure uniform observance throughout the state.
In supersession of all previous orders and practices, the Government of West Bengal has mandated the singing of National Song of Bharat – Vande Mataram, during School Assembly Prayers before commencement of Classes in all Schools under the School Education Department across West… pic.twitter.com/QmQHoFqUfj
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) May 14, 2026
The order was widely discussed because it extended to institutions functioning under various educational boards, including government-aided madrasas that operate under the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department.
Muslim Community Voices Reservations Even as Madrasas Comply
While a large number of madrasas across West Bengal have implemented the government’s directive and uploaded videos as proof of compliance, the order has sparked debate among sections of the Muslim community, with several religious leaders and community organisations urging the state government to reconsider making the singing of Vande Mataram mandatory.
The objections are particularly noteworthy because many Muslim organisations and clerics had largely cooperated with several recent directives issued by the newly formed BJP government. Community leaders had publicly appealed for compliance with restrictions on cattle slaughter during Bakrid, supported the shifting of the state’s largest Eid-ul-Zuha congregation from Kolkata’s Red Road to the Brigade Parade Ground, and encouraged worshippers to ensure that Friday prayers and other religious gatherings did not spill onto public roads and disrupt traffic.
Against this backdrop, the debate surrounding Vande Mataram is being viewed by some observers as the first major point of disagreement between sections of the Muslim community and the new administration.
Addressing a gathering in Hooghly on June 2, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari defended the government’s decision and linked it to national identity and civic responsibility.
“Those who want to stay in this country must say Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana and respect August 15 and January 26. The recitation of Vande Mataram has been made mandatory in every school. This is Indian culture. This is Sanatan culture. India is known as both Hindustan and India. This country cannot go into anyone else’s hands,” Adhikari said.
However, several prominent Muslim scholars and community representatives argued that their concerns were theological rather than political.
Maulana Mohammad Shafique Qasmi, Imam of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Mosque, appealed to the government to make the singing of Vande Mataram voluntary rather than compulsory.
“It is about the faith of the Muslim community. Muslims love their country, but they only worship Allah and nobody else. In that context, I will request the government to make singing of Vande Mataram optional,” he said.
Senior cleric Qari Fazlur Rahman also called for wider consultations among Islamic scholars before taking a collective position on the matter. According to him, certain portions of the song have historically generated debate within sections of the Muslim community.
“The community has some issues with some stanzas. All the ulemas and religious figures should sit together and decide how to proceed. In my own madrasa, the National Anthem is sung every day,” Rahman said.
Similar concerns were expressed by religious leaders associated with Furfura Sharif as well as representatives of various Muslim organisations.
Abdul Aziz, secretary of the Milli Ittehad Parishad, stressed that the objections stemmed from religious interpretation rather than political considerations.
“Muslims of this country love India as much as anybody else. However, some believers feel that certain portions of Vande Mataram conflict with the Islamic principle that worship is due only to Allah. The government should engage in dialogue with community representatives instead of making it mandatory,” Aziz said.
Meanwhile, Syed Rahul Amin, secretary of the All India Minority Association and principal of Jamiya Madrasa Mustafa Madania in Kanchanpur, said his organisation was examining the government’s order before issuing any formal guidance to affiliated institutions.
Despite these reservations, implementation of the directive has continued in many madrasas across the state.
Political opposition
Officials viewed the initiative as an effort to promote national unity, civic values and awareness about India’s freedom movement among students.
The decision, however, sparked criticism from several opposition leaders and organisations who questioned both the mandatory nature of the directive and its application to madrasa institutions.
Left-wing political leaders also voiced opposition to the decision.
Senior CPI(ML) Liberation leader Kartik Pal criticised the policy, alleging that the BJP government was pursuing ideological objectives through educational reforms. He described the directive as a form of imposition and argued that participation in patriotic practices should not be enforced through administrative orders.
Similarly, senior West Bengal Congress leader Suman Roy Choudhuri reiterated his party’s opposition to the BJP government’s policies and described the decision as part of a broader ideological agenda.
Despite these objections, the large-scale participation reported across madrasa institutions suggests that the directive has been implemented extensively on the ground.
National Song at the Centre of Renewed Debate
The issue has reignited a long-running national debate surrounding the place of Vande Mataram in public life and educational institutions.
Composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and first published in the novel Anandamath, Vande Mataram played a significant role during India’s freedom movement and became a rallying cry for many independence activists.
The debate has repeatedly surfaced in different parts of the country over the past several decades, often intersecting with discussions on education policy, secularism, cultural identity and constitutional freedoms.
Union Home Ministry’s Earlier Recommendation
The renewed focus on Vande Mataram also comes in the backdrop of initiatives undertaken at the national level to commemorate the song’s historical significance.
Earlier this year, the Union Home Ministry announced programmes marking the 150th year of Vande Mataram and reportedly recommended that all six stanzas of the national song be sung before the national anthem during commemorative events.
The recommendation was aimed at highlighting the historical contribution of the song to India’s freedom movement and increasing awareness among younger generations about its legacy.
Against this backdrop, the widespread participation of madrasa students across West Bengal has attracted considerable attention, particularly because the implementation occurred despite vocal opposition from several political groups.
