Staff Reporter / New Delhi
Social representatives Tej Lal Bharti and Dr Syed Ahmed Khan have welcomed the Supreme Court’s recent observation that people who respectfully decline to sing Vande Mataram on grounds of religion or conscience should not face criminal consequences.
The Supreme Court made the observation while hearing a petition challenging the 2026 amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, along with directions concerning the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram. The court also referred to its 1986 Bijoe Emmanuel judgment on freedom of conscience.
Dr Syed Ahmed Khan, Secretary General of the All India Unani Tibbi Congress and national president of the Urdu Development Organisation, has welcomed the court’s observation. He said a person who chooses not to sing Vande Mataram because of religious belief or conscience should not be forced to do so or face punitive action.
Dr Khan said respect for religious and conscientious freedom is an important principle in a democratic society. He added that the Supreme Court’s observation reinforces the constitutional principle that fundamental rights must be protected.
Welcoming the observation, Tej Lal Bharti said no law should be framed in a manner that conflicts with the Constitution or fundamental rights. He said democracy is not merely about enacting laws on the basis of a legislative majority but also about protecting constitutional freedoms and individual rights.
Bharti said the Supreme Court’s focus on constitutional rights strengthens public faith in the supremacy of the Constitution and the protection of equality, religious freedom and individual liberty.
The Supreme Court has sought the Centre’s response in the matter. The case remains under consideration, while the court has indicated that the question of criminal consequences for conscientious or religious refusal requires scrutiny.