Ahmedabad: Senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela on Thursday slammed BJP and RSS on the issue of chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', saying leaders of both these outfits can't have a monopoly over the slogan.
"The issue of (raising slogan) 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and nationalism has been used (by BJP and RSS) to suppress the voice of young generation. You can't have monopoly on this slogan. People do not need a certificate from BJP and RSS, who are using this slogan to divert people's attention from core issues," Vaghela said.
Speaking at a party function to mark the 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, the former Union Minister also alleged that though BJP and RSS are against the reservation system, their leaders are now trying to project themselves as true followers of Ambedkar to get votes of the Dalit community.
"If you continue to threaten people on this (slogan) issue, more and more people will refuse to obey your orders and say that do whatever you want, but we will not say 'Bharat Mara Ki Jai,'" he added.
Vaghela alleged that BJP leaders are remembering Ambedkar only to get votes in upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, which has sizable number of Dalit voters.
"They used Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's name in Gujarat. Recently they used Subhash Chandra Bose's name in West Bengal election. Now, they are using Ambedkar's name to get votes in UP election.
"In reality, they (BJP, RSS) never liked the idea of reservation and never endorsed Ambedkar's views. It is all about getting votes," he alleged.
