The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of Muslim religious organisations in Jammu and Kashmir led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has expressed deep concern over a recent directive by the Department of Culture asking schools to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram through musical and cultural programs.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the MMU said that the move to make participation compulsory for students and staff amounts to coercion and infringes upon religious freedoms.

The organisation described reciting Vande Mataram as inconsistent with Islamic teachings, stating that it contains expressions of reverence that contradict the concept of Tawheed, or the oneness of God.

“Forcing Muslim students or institutions to participate in activities that conflict with their fait

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