At a meeting of the working committee of the Board held here on Wednesday, with Chairman Ali Mian presiding, it was felt that since the state government had withdrawn the order, there was no need to continue the debate.

Ali Mian, while issuing the fatwa, had described the government order as highly un-Islamic and an attempt to play with the religious sentiments of the people besides being against Article 28 of the Constitution.

The meeting decided that in view of the constitutional mandate of secular education and freedom of conscience, elements of any particular religion or religious culture could not be introduced in any government institution.

The working committee constituted a three-member sub-committee, comprising Maulana Rabey Nadwi, Maulana Burhanuddin Sambhali and Maulana Sajjad Nomani, to thoroughly examine whether songs which propagated any particular religion or faith had been introduced in the educational system and to try and remove any such elements.

The fatwa had found a echo in Parliament too. The Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister had asked the Uttar Pradesh Government for details of the Government Order (GO) making the recitation of Vande Mataram and Saraswati Vandana compulsory in all government schools.

Basic Education Minister Ravindra Shukla was sacked by Chief Minister Kalyan Singh ``for keeping the ministry and him in dark on the GO.''

The executive expressed concern and agony over the attempt by some people to barge into Ali Mian's ancestral house in Rae Bareli. The assault was not just on Ali Mian but on the entire Muslim community and honour of the country, it said. The unawareness expressed by the state as well as the Central governments about the persons involved was surprising, it added.

The board executive also condemned the propaganda about the alleged ISI activities and described it as a move to demoralise Muslims and their institutions. It was decided to apprise the President and the Prime Minister of the adverse repercussions of such a campaign in the name of the ISI.

The meeting also urged the Union Government and secular parties of the country to ensure the removal of all hurdles in prosecuting the persons involved in the demolition of Babri Masjid at the earliest. The CBI should be persuaded to approach the High Court for an early verdict on the revision petition filed against the order of framing of charges.

The board executive also decided to present its stand before the Liberhan Commission, which is conducting an inquiry into the responsibility of persons or organisations regarding the demolition of the Babri Masjid.