Congress dubs Deoband resolution as individual opinion

Dubbing Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind's resolution against recitation of Vande Mataram as an "individual opinion", the Congress today said it cannot be treated as the opinion of the Muslim community.

"It is the responsibility of every Indian to respect Vande Mataram. Some people may have individual opinion but that cannot be treated as the voice of the community," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here. He was replying to a question on the party's stand on the issue.

Asked about the party's reaction to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement supporting the demolition of Babri mosque and praise for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for handling the riots in the state, Tewari said the BJP President had already reacted to it and he had nothing to say.

He, however, described the demolition of Babri mosque as an "attack on secularism" and pointed to the "culpability" of the Gujarat government in the riots saying the Supreme Court too was apprised of the matter.