West Bengal: Singing “Vande Mataram” Mandatory in Madrassas, Officials Barred from Interaction with Media
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 21: After the state-run schools, the singing of “Vande Mataram” has been made compulsory in all the Madrasas in West Bengal, officials said on Thursday.
The West Bengal Directorate of Madrasa Education has issued an order making the singing of “Vande Mataram” mandatory during assembly prayers before classes in all government, aided and recognised madrasas across the State with immediate effect.
This was confirmed by Khudiram Tudu, the Minister in-charge of Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education in the new BJP government in the state. “Like all other State-run schools in the State, singing ‘Vande Mataram’ will henceforth be mandatory in all recognised madrasahs as well. There are many State-run schools in West Bengal where the medium of instruction is the Santali language. If singing ‘Vande Mataram’ is compulsory in those schools, why should the same not be mandatory in recognised madrasas?” Mr Tudu said.
In this regard, the West Bengal Directorate of Madrasa Education issued an official order making the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ compulsory in all state-aided madrasas in the State
“I am directed to order that, in supersession of all previous orders and practices, singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ during assembly prayers prior to the commencement of classes is hereby made mandatory in all Madrasahs (Govt. Model Madrasahs (English Medium) / Recognised Govt. Aided Madrasahs / Approved MSKs / Approved SSKs / Recognised Unaided Madrasahs) under the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department across the state of West Bengal with immediate effect. This order is issued with the approval of the competent authority,” read the order issued by the Director of Madrasa Education, West Bengal.
On May 13, the West Bengal Education Department had issued an official notification making the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ compulsory in state-run schools. The first BJP Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had shared the notification issued by the administrative branch of the State School Education Department on the wall of his official social media handle on the evening of May 14.
“It is hereby ordered that, in supersession of all previous orders and practices, the Government of West Bengal has mandated the singing of the national song of Bharat — ‘Vande Mataram’ — during school assembly prayers before the commencement of classes in all schools under the School Education Department across West Bengal with immediate effect,” read the notification issued by the Additional Chief Secretary to the State Education Department on May 14.
Meanwhile, the state government on Thursday issued another order prohibiting government officials and police from speaking to the media. The circular titled Dissemination of Information by any member of the All India Service, West Bengal Civil Service, West Bengal Police Service and other employees working under the Government of West Bengal directs a complete prohibition “without any government order, on any direct or indirect communication of any document or information with the press by the members of the services.”
The government order also directs a complete prohibition on members of the services in indulging in any adverse criticism of any policy or decision of the Central or the State government as well as complete prohibition on any publication, interaction, utterance, publication, broadcast, contribution in any media, which can lead to straining of the relations of the State government with the Central government or any State governments.
The government notification dated May 19, comes ten days after the Suvendu Adhikari government was sworn in by the Governor R.N. Ravi installing the first BJP government in the state which was elected to power on the promise of clean administration and transparent bureaucracy. The Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee shared the circular on social media and said the phrase ‘complete prohibition’ echoing through this circular like a warning ”not to protect governance, but to enforce silence upon Govt employees across Bengal.”
“No speaking to the press. No writing articles. No participating in media programs. No criticism of the Centre or State government. No expression that may strain relations with Delhi. Under@BJP4India‘s remote-controlled governance,” he said. The Trinamool leader said that under the BJP rule “silence is now an administrative requirement” and when a government cannot tolerate criticism, it starts crushing dissent.
“This shocking circular is not about discipline, it is about curtailing free expression and systematically choking fundamental rights to ensure absolute obedience to the masters sitting in Delhi,” Mr Banerjee said, describing the development as “strangulation of democracy.”
