Make singing of 'Vande Mataram' compulsory in Maha: BJP MLA
BJP MLA Raj Purohit has demanded that the Maharashtra government make the singing of 'Vande Mataram' compulsory in educational institutions in the state. In response, SP MLA Abu Azmi said no true Muslim will sing it as Islam doesn't permit it. Following this, Shiv Sena minister Diwakar Rawat said those who opposed the demand must shift to Pakistan. 
 Legislators from the state were on Thursday involved in a row over making Vande Mataram mandatory in educational institutions in Maharashtra, in the wake of a recent Madras high court order. While BJP legislator Raj Purohit demanded that students in schools and colleges made to compulsorily sing the national song, Waris Pathan of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Abu Asim Azmi of Samajwadi Party (SP) said such a move was ?against their religion?. The row further intensified when Shiv Sena minister Diwakar Raote advised those opposed to the demand to shift to Pakistan.Referring to a recent Madras high court order, Purohit told mediapersons that he would give a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to make singing Vande Mataram compulsory in all schools, colleges and government offices. He said the demand would be raised in the Assembly, too, at an appropriate time. Read: Vande Mataram must be sung in schools, offices to instill patriotism: Madras HCReacting Purohit?s demand, Pathan said even if he was held at a gunpoint, he would not sing Vande Mataram. ?Our religion does not allow us to worship anything else but Allah. We respect the Constitution of India, which does not have any compulsory provision of singing the national song,?he told mediapersons. Pathan found support from Azmi. ?It is against the teaching of our religion and no Muslim will sing it,? said AzmiRaote waded into the controversy, saying those who do not want to worship their motherland should shift to Pakistan. ?Vande Mataram denotes independence of the country, and if anybody has issues with it, they should shift to Pakistan. I do not understand why they have such affection for Pakistan,? he told mediapersons.