The Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board has made it compulsory to recite ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogan during the Independence Day programs which are scheduled to be organized on 15th August on the properties owned by Waqf board.
In an order issued by the Waqf board on Saturday, it has warned of “strict action” in case the directive is not obeyed. The Shia Waqf Board chairman, Waseem Rizvi said, “Shia Waqf Board has issued an order that on August 15, it is necessary to raise slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai after the national anthem in the programs to be held on the properties of Waqf Board.” He further added, “Whoever does not follow this order, strict action will be taken against him.”
According to My Nation report, the board chief also said that Muslims have no problems in calling India their Madre-Watan (motherland).
It’s a welcome move. Gestures like these would lead to national unity and would also help in countering the growing influence of Islamic fundamentalism. In recent time it has been seen that there are Muslim politicians who have problem with the patriotic slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Radical Islamist politician Owaisi said, “Nowhere in the Constitution has it said that one should say: ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.” Constitution also does not say that one should become Islamist fundamentalist but even then Owaisi routinely preaches hatred. Darul Uloom in Deoband has issued fatwa against the chanting of the Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Muslim seminary Jamia Nizamia in Hyderabad had also issued a fatwa against chanting the slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
Slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai come from the heart. Since their heart dislikes and hates India that’s why they refuse to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Such fanatic people who give more importance to their religion than their motherland carry out terrorist attack around the world.
Bharat Mata Ki Jai is a very powerful slogan. It evokes a sense of patriotism and unity. Every Indian must feel proud in shouting out this slogan irrespective of their religion. Some shameless intellectuals and some people belonging to particular community have turned this slogan into a political issue and they are now making political capital out of it. These shameless people call a terrorist Ishrat Jahan as ‘beti’, a guy who was involved in chanting anti-India slogans in JNU becomes their ‘beta’ but someone calling their country mother is an issue for them. Only because of people like this, as RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat observed, “Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation to chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ (hail mother India). It should be real, spontaneous and part of all-round development of the youth.” Let’s hope the message that Shia Waqf Board is trying to send through this order is listened by the fanatics who find communalism in something as sacred as ‘Bharat Mata’.