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LUCKNOW: The government in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has made it mandatory for all students and teachers in madrassahs to sing the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” before commencing classes.
Danish Azad Ansari, Minister of State for minority welfare, has passed this order by UP Madrasa Education Council. The national anthem will be sung before the commencement of classes in the morning and students will be allowed to begin their studies only after the practice concludes.
Schools will continue with the previously sung religious prayers along with the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana”. The order comes in effect as regular classes at madrassas began on May 12 after the Ramzan holidays.
The national anthem will be sung by teachers and students from the upcoming academic session in all recognised madrassas in the state. According to the report, the District Minority Welfare Officers have been tasked to ensure compliance with the order.
General Secretary of Teachers’ Association Madaris Arabia, Diwan Sahab Zaman Khan, said that till now at madrassas, Hamd (praises to Allah) and Salam (salutations to Muhammad (PBUH)) were recited before the start of classes. The national anthem was also sung but it has now become mandatory, he added.
The order comes after the state’s Minority Welfare Minister Dharampal Singh last month emphasised teaching nationalism at madrassas. There are a total of 16,461 madrassas in Uttar Pradesh and 560 of them receive government grants.
