Congress MLA Seeks Kharge's Nod to Chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', BJP Asks 'Why Such Hesitation?'

Bengaluru: A Congress MLA on Friday sought permission from party president Mallikarjun Kharge before leing a chant of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' (Hail, Mor India) slogan during an election rally in Karnataka' Kalaburagi, triggering a political row ahe of Lok Sabha elections. 

dressing garing, Congress' Athani MLA Laxman Savi said, "I hope Kharge sahab doesn't misconstrue this. I wish to say this to you all. I shall say 'Bolo Bharat Mata ki Jai' and you all have to repeat it after me with tight fists".

Last year in April, former Karnataka deputy chief minister Laxman Savi joined Congress party barely two days after resigning from BJP after being denied a ticket for state assembly polls. 

Karnataka BJP unit was quick enough to react to incident and slam Congress leer over seeking permission to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogan. 

Karnataka BJP Chief BY Vijayendra alleged that expressing patriotism and praising "Bharat Mata" was met with guilt and clarification within Congress ranks, contrasting it with BJP's unwavering commitment to nationalist ideals.

"It is rar very unfortunate and depressing to know that a senior leer like Laxman Savi hesitates to openly raise slogan 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' on a Congress platform in front of its national president Mallikarjun Kharge. Isn't it very pitiful and dangerous that a Congress leer trying to express his patriotism and praise "Bharat Mata" feels guilty and hence seeks to clarify his stand of raising slogan to party chief," Vijayendra said.

"Today's incident reinforces fact that Savi's attempt to prove Congress' patriotism is a very futile effort and can't compare itself to BJP, which has imbibed nationalistic and patriotic ideals very much ingrained as part of its core culture," he ded.

Karnataka Leer of Opposition R Ashoka also railed against Savi and claimed that his hesitation came from witnessing Priyank Kharge vocating for those who chanted 'Pakistan Zindab' slogans.

Taking to X, he said, “MLA Laxman Savi, who understood true ideology of Congress after seeing how Minister Priyank Kharge vocated on behalf of those who shouted slogan 'Pakistan Zindab', was now scared wher or not he should shout slogan 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', and asked permission from Kharge. Whatever party you are in, you don't need any top leer's permission to shout 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' Savi ji. If y misconstrue, so be it. Bharat Mata ji Jai!”