People who refuse to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai have no right to live in India: Maha CM

Mumbai, April 3: Now 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan-chanting debate took a new turn when Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, April 2 said that "those people who cannot say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' have no right to stay in the country."

According to media reports, Fadnavis was quoted saying as, "Some people say we will not say Bharat Mata ki Jai. Then what? Pakistan ki jai or China ki jai?." If they cannot say this slogan then they should leave this place."

"I went to a Mazar in Mumbai where hundreds of Muslim priests chanted Bharat Mata ki Jai. Those who say that Bharat will divide will fail", Fadnavis added. [Those not saying 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' should leave India: BJP]

Fadnavis's sharp remarks came in the backdrop of India's Largest Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband who issued a 'fatwa' saying Muslims should not say "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".

Meanwhile, a statement released by the seminary said, "We received thousands of queries on the issue so Darul Uloom Deoband has issued a fatwa saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is not in consonance with Islam and we will not say it. But we love our country immensely and we can raise slogans like 'Hindustan Zindabad' and 'Madre Vatan' (motherland)." []

On March 3, 2016, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said that the new generation needs to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India, comments that come against the backdrop of a raging row over alleged anti-India sloganeering on the JNU campus.

"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," he had said.

While reacting on Bhagwat's staement, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi on March 14 had said, "I don't chant that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahab. "I won't utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife to my throat,", while adding that "Nowhere in the Constitution it says that one should say: Bharat Mata ki Jai."[I won't say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai': Owaisi to Bhagwat]

However, few days later on March 29, Bhagwat had said the chanting of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" cannot be forced down anyone's throat, and efforts should rather be made to contribute towards making India a great country and a world leader.

Here are some tweets:

Some people say we will not say Bharat Mata ki Jai. Then what? Pakistan ki jai or China ki jai?-CM Devendra Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/dG5LPzVllS

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 3, 2016

There was no need to issue a fatwa against 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogan,we condemn it-Maulana Khalid Rasheed pic.twitter.com/UB9p3DeI2S

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 3, 2016

Went to a Mazar in Mumbai, hundreds of Muslim priests chanted Bharat Mata ki Jai.Those who say Bharat ke tukde honge will fail-CM Fadnavis

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 3, 2016

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