The Madhya Pradesh High Court had asked the state government on Wednesday not to compel anyone to take part in the programme as two petitioners had submitted that schools, teachers and students were being made to attend the rehearsals against their wishes. Initially, the government had claimed that only government schools and colleges were being asked to participate, but several private schools had got the circulars that made participation compulsory.

Muslim organisations like the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind had urged members of the minority community to boycott Thursday’s programme, saying it was unconstitutional for any government to promote one religion over the other. They said Islam does not permit them to bow before anyone but Allah.

A symbolic protest was organised at Iqbal Maidan in the state capital by a few Muslim and secular organisations. Speakers alleged that by organising programmes like the singing of Vande Mataram and Surya Namaksar, the BJP government in MP was following the saffron agenda set by the RSS. A speaker said despite protests the government did not change the title of the mass programme and proved that it did not care for one section of the society.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind spokesperson Noorullah alleged that Muslim prisoners were made to take part in the programme though they were not willing to do so. Bhopal district jail superintendent G P Tamrakar denied the allegation, saying it was voluntary. He said he was not sure if Muslim prisoners kept away though 1,500 males and 70 female prisoners took part in the exercise.