Indian Muslim advocate slams politicians on Vande Mataram 'theatrics': 'This isn't about Islam'

Amid a heated parliamentary debate over Vande Mataram, following political exchanges triggered during the song’s 150th anniversary event last month, a post on X by an advocate has gone viral, slamming politicians for using a "separatist script" on citizens.

In the widely shared post, Zeeba Zoariah wrote: “I’m an Indian Muslim, and let’s settle this: Vande Mataram was sung by Muslims in 1905, banned by the British for uniting us, quoted by Maulana Azad with pride and only became ‘un-Islamic’ when Jinnah needed a communal rift to justify Pakistan in 1937. So spare me the theatrics in 2025. This isn’t about Islam. It’s about politicians recycling a 1937 separatist script because victimhood still pays.”

She also shared a picture of nationalist Sri Aurobindo’s writing in the English daily Bande Mataram, and added, “India is my homeland. I don’t need London, Lahore or Lutyens liberals to tell me what patriotism looks like.”

Parliamentary flashpoint over PM Modi's remarks

The online debate follows a stormy exchange in Parliament after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at an event marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, accused the Congress of “removing important stanzas” during its 1937 Faizabad session. He said the decision “sowed the seeds of partition” and weakened the song’s original spirit, linking cultural symbols to his vision of Viksit Bharat.