Waris Pathan (Courtesy Twitter)
Mumbai/Nagpur: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Imtiaz Jaleel and Waris Pathan faced heat over Bharat Mata ki Jai in Maharashtra assembly on Tuesday. Waris Pathan has been suspended from the Assembly for the entire session for not uttering Bharat Mata ki Jai.
Both lambasted by all party legislators for refusing to say Bharat Mata ki Jai after BJP’s Ram Kadam asked them to do so and the assembly was adjourned twice following uproar over legislator’s stance. Waris Pathan was later suspended. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi had created controversy couple of days ago saying he won’t say Bharat Mata ki Jai even if anyone put a knife to his throat. He had pointed the Constitution didn’t insist anyone to say Bharat Mata ki Jai.
AIMIM legislator from Mumbai Waris Pathan suspended for the remainder of the session in relation to this row.
Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has backed noted lyricist Javed Akhtar’s passionate call for saying Bharat Mata Ki Jai, saying that the slogan should be the only definition of nationalism for Indians.
Pathan clarified his stance saying that they will say Jai Hind and Hindustan Zindabad. He also criticised Javed Akhtar.
Javed sahab says ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ then let him,we wont.We will say Hindustan Zindabad and Jai Hind-Waris Pathan pic.twitter.com/Vb9Zw0y2WY
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 16, 2016
“The only definition of NATIONALISM for Bharatwasis should be “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. Rest all are escape routes.:),” Kher tweeted earlier on Wednesday.
Akhtar had on Wednesday slammed All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the Rajya Sabha over his remark that he would not chant Bharat mata ki jai because the Constitution does not ask him to do so. “The Constitution even does not ask him to wear sherwani and topi (cap). I don’t care to know whether saying Bharat mata ki jai is my duty or not, it is my right.” Akhar said after which he proceeded to chant Bharat mata ki jai several times.
Condemning right-wing extremists also who say that ‘Muslims should go to Pakistan’, he added that these days ‘fringe’ elements are rising and emphasised the need to protect secularism to save democracy and the Constitution. Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed against Owaisi in Allahabad High Court over his speech in which he said that he will not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai.
“I don’t chant that slogan. What are you going to do Bhagwat sahab?” Owaisi said at a public rally in Latur. “I won’t utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife on my throat. Nowhere has it been mentioned in the Constitution that one should say Bharat Mata ki Jai,” he added.
The RSS chief had earlier said the new generation needs to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India.
With agency inputs
