On Monday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed that ‘Bharat mata ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Hind’ were first coined by two Muslims, challenging the BJP to renounce the slogans.
“Now, in some programs we hear some Sangh Parivar leaders asking people to chant ‘Bharat mata ki Jai’. Who coined the slogan Bharat mata ki jai? Was it some Sangh Parivar leader? I don’t know if the Sangh Parivar knows this. His name is Azimullah Khan. I don’t know if they know that he is not a Sangh Parivar leader,” the Kerala CM said.
He said, “He was the prime minister to the Maratha Peshwa Nana Saheb in the 19th century. We should know that he coined the term Bharat Mata ki Jai. I don’t know if Sangh Parivar will decide not to chant the slogan since it was framed by a Muslim?”
The remarks were made during a rally against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Malappuram on Monday.
Lashing out at those leaders advocating for the extradition of the Muslims from India to Pakistan, CM Vijayan said, “Similarly, a former diplomat, Abid Hasan, coined the term ‘Jai Hind’. So Jai Hind is also a contribution by a Muslim.
Therefore, I want to say that the Sangh Parivar, who says Muslims should leave India, and be sent to Pakistan, should understand this history.”
The CM also said that let’s unitedly move forward to defeat the communal forces and build a more democratic India.
In a post on social media platform X, CM said, “Joined the massive rally against the implementation of #CAA in Malappuram today. People turned out for the protest in large numbers, reflecting Kerala’s deep-rooted secular heritage. Let’s unitedly move forward to defeat the communal forces and build a more democratic India.”
Earlier in the month, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre on the applications seeking a stay on the Citizen Amendment Rules 2024, brought to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019.
A day after the Central government issued the Rules for the CAA, Kerala-based political party Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the implementation of the Rules.
On March 11, the Central Government notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, which effectively brought into force the controversial CAA of 2019.
The 2019 Act amended the Citizenship Act, 1955, which makes illegal migrants eligible for citizenship if they (a) belong to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities, and (b) are from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan. It only applies to migrants who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. As per the amendment, certain areas in the Northeast are exempted from the provision.
