Iqra Hasan: Vajpayee's 'Rajdharma' Led to Minister's Dismissal Over Vande Mataram

• SP MP Iqra Hasan cited a 1998 incident where PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee intervened in a UP government's decision to mandate 'Vande Mataram' and 'Saraswati Vandana' in schools.
• In 1998, UP Minister Ravindra Shukla's 'Kalpa Yojana' made 'Vande Mataram' and 'Saraswati Vandana' compulsory in state schools, sparking widespread protests.
• Maulana Ali Mian Nadvi led Muslim community protests, threatening to withdraw children from schools if religious practices were imposed.
• PM Vajpayee publicly stated that Vande Mataram should be respected but not imposed, emphasizing that patriotism comes from the heart, not force.
• Following Vajpayee's intervention, the UP government withdrew the controversial order, and Minister Ravindra Shukla was subsequently sidelined and demoted.

Why It Matters: A leader's action prioritized religious freedom and unity over mandatory nationalistic rituals.