During the budget session of the Indore Municipal Corporation on Wednesday, a notable incident unfolded when a Congress councillor was expelled after refusing to sing “Vande Mataram.” This event sparked significant commotion within the House.
The situation escalated as “Vande Mataram” was played, and Congress councillor Fauzia Sheikh Aleem declined to sing along, citing her religious beliefs as the reason for her refusal. This led to an immediate backlash from BJP councillors, who accused her of showing disrespect towards the national anthem and began chanting slogans in protest.
In the midst of the chaos, Aleem defended her stance by stating, “The Constitution does not require everyone to sing Vande Mataram. Participation is voluntary, and no one should be forced to sing it.” When pressed for further clarification, she remarked, “humare islam mein nai bol sakte” (in our Islam, you cannot say this).
As the protests grew louder, Aleem was heard challenging her opponents by saying, “If you have the courage, make me sing it,” and requested the chair to clarify the regulations regarding the singing of Vande Mataram. However, officials present could not provide any immediate evidence of a rule that mandated the song’s performance.
With the BJP councillors continuing to insist on punitive measures, chairman Munna Lal Yadav decided to suspend Aleem for the remainder of the session, citing her actions as disrespectful towards Vande Mataram.
Indore’s Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav supported the chairman’s decision, asserting, “Vande Mataram is our utmost song. Such behavior will not be accepted in the House.”
Chintu Chouksey, the Leader of Opposition, expressed that “Vande Mataram holds great significance for us, for the entire nation, and for the Congress party too. Her actions may reflect her personal beliefs.” He also mentioned that the issue had been communicated to the state Congress president, Jitu Patwari.
Anand Mohan J is a distinguished Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, currently overseeing coverage in Madhya Pradesh. With over eight years of experience, he has garnered recognition for his insightful reporting at the crossroads of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is particularly noted for his extensive reporting on the Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive coverage of the significant surrender of the last Maoist fighters in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the absence of leadership that led to the state being declared free of Maoist influence.
His investigative work is renowned for its bold approach, holding institutions accountable through comprehensive analysis across several critical sectors:
In the realm of National Security and Counter-Insurgency, he has documented the decline of Naxalism in Central India, focusing on the strategic changes within security forces and the rehabilitation of former insurgents.
In the Judiciary and Legal Accountability sector, Anand has leveraged his four years of experience covering trial courts in Delhi and the Madhya Pradesh High Court to dissect complex legal decisions. His reporting has uncovered significant institutional failures, including issues surrounding custodial safety and the improper use of the National Security Act.
As a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park, Anand has extensively covered the challenges associated with rewilding cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa, along with high-profile wildlife trafficking cases.
His recent investigations into public health have revealed systemic failures in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions that have resulted in HIV infections among thalassemia patients, and the devastating effects of the fertilizer crisis on rural farmers.
In terms of his professional trajectory, Anand has been with The Indian Express since 2017, having transitioned from a high-pressure role covering courts, police, and labor issues in Delhi to his current position as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
His notable investigations include exposing scams involving “digital arrests” targeting business owners and documenting the deaths of elephants in Bandhavgarh, as well as the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. He has also chronicled the transition of power and welfare initiatives like the Ladli Behna program in Madhya Pradesh governance.
For those interested in following his work, Anand Mohan J maintains an author profile at Indian Express and can be found on Twitter under the handle @mohanreports.
