Chennai: Persons like Muslim leader Asaduddin Owaisi who say they would not chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai even if a knife was put on their throats, were “mixing up everything with religion.” Minorities like him, who are also citizens of India, should read history of Indian freedom struggle before arriving at any conclusion, avers BJP state vice president Vanathi Srinivasan. Whatever be one’s religion, nothing should stop one from loving one’s motherland or paying respects to the motherland, she told DC.
How confident is the BJP in facing the election? Is the party waiting for alliance to be finalised to release the candidates’ list?
We have identified over 50 Assembly constituencies as ‘preferential’ seats and these are non-negotiable constituencies starting from Chennai till Kanyakumari. The BJP secured good number of votes since the last four elections in these constituencies and whether alliance will materialise or not it is imminent that we will contest from these constituencies, though we are prepared to contest from all 234 seats.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion to teach the new generation slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai has evoked vehement protest from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi. Does the suggestion amount to saffronise India by making the minorities jittery?
Motherland is an emotive subject. Slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram, coined during the Indian Independence struggle, were inspirational and motivated several hundreds of Indians to sacrifice their lives for the country. It is not a mere slogan. Indian soldiers guarding our frontiers raise this slogan to imbue patriotic fervour. Having one’s own ideology or practising one’s religion is different from showing our patriotism towards our motherland. Persons like Owaisi should read the history of Indian freedom struggle before arriving at any conclusion. Such slogans have been invoked to liberate India from the British yoke. Religion should not be mixed up with this.
What is the BJP’s stand on Udumalpet honour killing?
It is unfortunate. Very sad that none of the onlookers attempted to rush to the rescue of the youth. Honour killing is a serious issue afflicting our society and it should be construed as a collective responsibility – involving political parties, parents and community leaders to find a meaningful solution to end this social evil.
Is corruption the only poll plank for the BJP?
It is a major subject. Issues like quality education, better healthcare, infrastructure, skill improvement, job creation and development are also equally important.
