Anti-National sloganeering by JNU Students, a Blessing in Disguise

Anti-National sloganeering by JNU Students, a Blessing in Disguise

(Editorial in Hindu Voice, April 2016)

Asaduddin Owaisi, Chief of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, declared that he won't say "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" even if "a knife is put to my throat". This was in response to the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat saying that universities should be "cleansed of anti-national forces" and students should be taught to say "Bharat Mata ki Jai" to instill a sense of nationalism and patriotism.­

On March 3, Shri Bhagwat had said the new generation needed to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India, comments which came against the backdrop of the row over alleged anti-India sloganeering on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus.

One can understand Owaisi’s dislike for the slogan, but to say that, why should he use the language of ISIS? Putting a knife to the throat of its opponents is the culture of ISIS. How does this  fit into our democratic system? Are you not talking the language of ISIS, Mr. Owaisi?

In my editorial in the March 2016 issue of Hindu Voice, I had written about making it mandatory for every citizen to say “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”. I had also quoted from my letter to Shri Narendra Modi (written on 27th May 2014 and published in Hindu Voice of June 2014 issue).

I am informed that my editorial was informally discussed at the Pratinidhi Sabha of RSS held on 15-17 March 2016 in Jaipur. Along with Shri Mohan Bhagwat’s statement, my editorial (posted in my blogspot too) too has become a cause to kindle nationalist feelings among citizens.

The results are:

Rajya Sabha MP and film lyricist Javed Akhtar said in Parliament, on 16th March, "I don't care to know whether saying 'Bharat mata ki jai' is my duty or not but it is my right." He repeated ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai' three times in the Rajya Sabha.

Many Muslim leaders, such as Farooq Abdullah and Najma Heptulah, have said that they have no objection to saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

On March 17, 2016, at the Mahim (Mumbai) dargah, (from where Yakub Memon’s mammoth funeral was taken out) hundreds of Muslims hoisted the Tricolour, sung Jana Gana Mana and at the end shouted Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

The World Sufi Forum which was inaugurated by the PM on 17th March 2016 in New Delhi, saw the sporadic chanting of Bharat Mata Ki Jai by the participants.

In Meerut (UP), some Muslims have raised the slogan ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and have written it with their blood, too.

To top it all, when India won over Pakistan in the World T20 Cricket on 19th March 2016 at Eden Gardens, the entire nation celebrated the victory, chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

The Maharashtra Assembly on 16th March suspended Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Waris Pathan for refusing to chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. The proposal to suspend Khan came from the opposition Congress, which was supported by NCP. Many party leaders in Maharashtra have condemned Owaisi and Pathan for their provocative stand.

The Shiv Sena too has sought the revocation of citizenship and voting rights of those who refuse to chant the slogan. This is exactly what I demanded in my letter to the PM.

Thus, one tend to think that the JNU (and that of Hyderabad and Jadavpur Universities) students agitation and their sloganeering against the nation was indeed a blessing in disguise. Their anti-national attitude has enraged every Indian and has brought out his nationalism to the fore. Look at these news:

Some of the lawyers had thrashed JNU students in the Patiala court premises. Landlords, in and around JNU, who had given their rooms on rent to JNU students, have asked them to vacate the premises as they do not want anti-nationals to stay at their premises. Auto rickshaw drivers in an around JNU in Delhi have refused to ply JNU students in their autos, terming them anti-nationals.

Recently I happened to attend the Annual General Meeting of a co-op. society, of about 400 members. At the end of the meeting, to every one’s surprise, they stood up and started singing Jana Gana Mana, for the first time, ending with Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

The message that goes out of all these events is that every Indian wants to proclaim, in some way of the other, that he is a nationalist and loves this country. Caste, Creed, Language, Party, Region and Religion does not come in the way of his patriotism.

Thus the attitude of the JNU students has strengthened national integrity and the entire nation stands united against their anti-national activities. Indians will not brook any nonsense from these university students, even though they are only a minuscule section.

Taking advantage of the surcharged atmosphere in the country in favour of nationalism, this is the right time for the Modi Government to bring in a law to make it compulsory for every citizen to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Those who refuse to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai' should be disenfranchised.

A handful of Owaisis, Pathans and Bukharis may oppose it. The Govt. of India need not bother about these communalists and bigots. And they should be promptly disenfranchised.

Saying ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ is the litmus test for anyone - irrespective of his/her caste, creed, language, party, region or religion - for his/her loyalty to our nation. Those who refuse to say so are not loyal to this nation, and they should be treated as such.

Therefore, while the stickiest punishment should be given to the anti-nationals, the activities of the JNU and other university students may be taken as a Blessing in Disguise.