New Delhi, December 9: AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi delivered a fiercely constitutional argument in the Lok Sabha on Monday, strongly cautioning against attempts to compel citizens to recite the national song, Vande Mataram. Speaking during a special discussion marking the 150th anniversary of the song, Owaisi asserted that patriotism is an organic feeling and cannot be tested, coerced, or certified by the state.

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The speech sparked immediate exchanges, with ruling party members accusing him of undermining national unity.

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Patriotism is Not a Loyalty Test

In his sharply worded intervention, Owaisi warned that enforcing symbolic displays of nationalism, particularly through a song rooted in religious imagery, effectively creates an unconstitutional “litmus test” of loyalty for citizens, particularly the Muslim community.

“Patriotism cannot be demanded, coerced, or certified,” Owaisi declared in the House. “When the very first page of the Constitution itself grants complete freedom of thought, expression, belief, religion, and worship, then how can any citizen be compelled to worship any god or deity in the name of nationalism?”

He argued that forcing religious symbolism as a measure of national loyalty betrays the core ideals of India’s freedom fighters, reducing politics to majoritarianism.

The Constitutional and Religious Conflict

Owaisi emphasized that the insistence on mandatory recitation violates fundamental constitutional freedoms. He acknowledged the historical significance of Vande Mataram in the freedom struggle but cautioned against its current political appropriation.

• Exclusionary Nature: The AIMIM leader pointed out that equating national devotion with a specific song that carries religious connotations excludes millions of people and undermines the country’s pluralistic character.

• Betrayal of the Republic: “To demand that every Indian prove loyalty by singing a specific song is to betray the very idea of our republic,” he stated, stressing that India earned and maintained its freedom precisely because the state and religion were not conflated.

“No government has the authority to manufacture patriotism by force,” Owaisi concluded, asserting that the Constitution already defines who is an Indian, and no slogan, song, or chant can add or subtract from that identity.

Reactions from the Floor

Owaisi’s remarks triggered a heated response from the treasury benches, who pressed for broader acceptance of Vande Mataram as a unifying national symbol.

• Ruling Party’s Defence: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, participating in the debate, argued that the song had historically been “treated unfairly,” while others accused past governments of attempting to sideline it.

• Opposition Support: Other opposition leaders, including those from the Samajwadi Party, echoed Owaisi’s constitutional concerns, agreeing that a song that was once a rallying cry for freedom is now being used to create division and score political points.

The debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram is part of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament and highlights the deep ideological fault lines in the country over the nature of Indian nationalism and the separation of religion and state.