Meerut, Nov. 11 -- Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, national president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, on Monday said while both Hindus and Muslims respect Vande Mataram, making its singing mandatory in educational institutions would go against the principles of the Constitution. However, he praised chief minister Yogi Adityanath recent statement in Gorakhpur that discussions should be held on the contributions of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Allama Fazle Khairabadi, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. The Maulana made the comment after chief minister Yogi Adityanath's statement on making the recitation of Vande Mataram compulsory in all educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh. "The respect for Vande Mataram is shared by all Indians-Hindus as well as Muslims. But no one should be pressured to recite or sing it. The Constitution gives every citizen religious freedom, and there should be no coercion in this matter," Maulana Razvi said in Bareilly. The maulana further said, "(Vande Mataram) it is already taught and recited as part of education, but making it compulsory under pressure is not right." He pointed out that the Supreme Court, in a case from Kerala, had ruled that singing the national song cannot be made obligatory for students. "It should be left to the discretion and conscience of individuals whether they wish to recite it or not," he said. He also said the new generation must be made aware of the sacrifices and roles of leaders in India's freedom struggle. "This will help youth understand who contributed to India's independence and in what way," he added. The cleric highlighted that Muslims played a major role in India's freedom movement between 1857 and 1947 and remain committed to the nation's unity. "Even during Operation Sindoor, you saw Muslims standing shoulder to shoulder with the government. The Muslim community will always be at the forefront in safeguarding the country's unity and integrity," he said. Razvi also backed CM Yogi's statement that the country would not face another Partition and no new Jinnah would be allowed to emerge. "I completely agree with the chief minister. Because of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, India was divided in 1947, creating Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Indian Muslims suffered the most. Our undivided India once extended to Russia, but Jinnah's two-nation theory shattered it. Today, even Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh are in distress. There should never be another Jinnah in India," he asserted. The Maulana said anyone who advocates another Partition or promotes the two-nation theory is an enemy of both the nation and their community....