This has reference to the report “Bharat Mata Ki Jai Slogan: Shiv Sena accuses CM of going soft on Owaisi” (April 6) .Recently Yoga Guru Ramdev Baba also made a statement “Would have beheaded lakhs for refusing to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai”. It seems, the fight here is more about religion than the country. It must be noted that Bharat Mata means literally mother India; it does not represent any Hindu Goddess. Issues should not be given a religious touch. By chanting and or by not reciting the slogan one may not become patriotic. It is not only a slogan but also a great anthem which was used by every Indian irrespective of the member of any religion very proudly before and after the independence. The chanting will not enhance the status of ‘Mata’ or ‘Bharat Mata’ or ‘Allah’ or ‘the Lord’ nor will refusal to chant the same diminish their status. Nationalism and Patriotism of a person for a country can be expressed in various ways.
Vinod C. Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
