NEW DELHI: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has stirred controversy by asserting that the nationalist slogans ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Hind’ were coined by Muslims. Speaking at a rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Vijayan attributed the origin of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ to Azimullah Khan, a 19th-century prime minister to Maratha Peshwa Nana Saheb, and ‘Jai Hind’ to former diplomat Abid Hasan.
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Vijayan criticised the Sangh Parivar for promoting these slogans while advocating for Muslims to leave India for Pakistan. He urged them to acknowledge the historical contributions of Muslims to these slogans. The Kerala BJP leader, P K Krishnadas, questioned whether Vijayan and other Left leaders would be willing to chant these slogans given their Muslim origins.
Responding to Vijayan’s remarks, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accused him of engaging in divisive politics for electoral gain, asserting that such tactics would not resonate with the public. Vijayan’s comments come amid ongoing debates surrounding the implementation of the CAA, with the opposition accusing the Modi government of religious discrimination in granting citizenship.
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The controversy sparked by Vijayan’s remarks underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding identity politics and communal narratives in India. As the country grapples with the implications of the CAA, Vijayan’s comments highlight the complex interplay of religion, history, and nationalism in the nation’s political discourse. Whether his assertions will lead to a broader reevaluation of the origins of these nationalist slogans remains to be seen.