New Delhi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that the slogans 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Jai Hind' were first raised by two Muslims, questioning whether the Sangh Parivar would be willing to give up these slogans. Reaching out to the minority community in a Muslim-majority district of north Kerala, veteran CPI(M) leader Vijayan highlighted the substantial contributions made by Muslim rulers, cultural figures, and officials throughout India's history and independence movement.
CM Vijayan said a Muslim man named Azimullah Khan had coined the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', drawing examples from history to prove his point, reported PTI. He further remarked that, "Some Sangh Parivar leaders who came here have asked those who sat in front of them to chant the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Who coined the slogan? I don't know whether the Sangh Parivar knows that his name is Azimullah Khan." Kerala CM also added he didn't know whether they(BJP) would stop using the slogan as it was a Muslim who came up with it.
CM Vijayan addressed the fourth consecutive rally organised by the CPI(M) in Kerala against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). During his speech, he highlighted the historical contributions of Muslims to India's cultural and nationalist heritage. He mentioned that the slogan 'Jai Hind' was first raised by an old diplomat named Abid Hasan and emphasised the role of Dara Shikoh, son of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan, in translating over 50 Upanishads into Persian, which facilitated the dissemination of Indian texts worldwide.
He said that Sangh Parivar leaders and activists advocating for the extradition of Muslims from India to Pakistan ought to be acquainted with this historical context. Vijayan reiterated that Muslims, along with others, played a vital role in India's freedom movement, as per PTI report.
CM Vijayan Accused BJP Of Dividing Country
Kerala Chief Minister accused the RSS-led BJP government at the Centre of attempting to marginalize Muslims and degrade them to second-class citizens in India through the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He asserted that the people of Kerala, who are democratically conscious, would vehemently oppose this move. He further criticised the government's justification of the CAA, stating that while it claims to provide citizenship to refugees from neighboring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, its true intention is to delegitimize the citizenship of Muslim refugees.
"No country in the world has ever divided refugees on the lines of religion except the Indian government led by the BJP leadership", the CM further said. Despite widespread protests and international objections, Vijayan accused the Sangh Parivar-led government of disregarding dissenting voices, drawing parallels between its actions and those of fascist dictator Adolf Hitler.
The Left government in the state was the first to register a loud protest against this in the country. Despite efforts by the LDF government to rally support from across the political spectrum against the CAA, the opposition Congress ultimately withdrew its participation. CM Vijayan criticised the Congress for what he perceived as insincerity. He alleged, "at a time when the whole country has been protesting against the controversial law, the Congress MPs were participating in a feast organised by the party president."
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Vijayan pointed out that while Left leaders were arrested by Delhi Police during the protests, Congress MPs were notably absent, with Rahul Gandhi being abroad. Furthermore, he accused the Centre of tacitly permitting violence against anti-CAA protesters by Sangh Parivar-affiliated groups in Delhi.
CM Vijayan launched a scathing attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging that its ideology and structure were derived from Adolf Hitler's fascist principles. He referenced a quote from RSS ideologue M. S. Golwalkar's book, where Christians, Muslims, and Communists were labeled as internal enemies of the country. Vijayan contended that the RSS's ideology did not originate from ancient texts, myths, Vedas, or Manusmriti but rather from Hitler's ideology.