The nation has been witnessing a strange debate on the issue of chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai. It all began with a statement made by RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat Ji while participating in a discussion on “value-based and nationalistic education” at annual meeting in Nagaur (Rajasthan). Referring to controversy over anti-India slogans raised in JNU he had said: “Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. It should be real, spontaneous and part of the all-round development of the youth.”

1. Bharat Mata Ki Jai-Much Ado about Nothing
Brig Anil Gupta
The nation has been witnessing a strange debate on the issue of chanting Bharat Mata
Ki Jai. It all began with a statement made by RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat Ji while
participating in a discussion on “value-based and nationalistic education” at annual
meeting in Nagaur (Rajasthan). Referring to controversy over anti-India slogans raised
in JNU he had said: “Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation
to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. It should be real, spontaneous and part of the all-round
development of the youth.” The statement drew an immediate negative response from
an elected Member of Parliament who gave it a religious turn. He was soon joined by
many other politicians who accused the RSS of forcing its ideology on the nation. The
issue soon became a political one as well. Not to be left behind Omar Abdullah also
tweeted: “Is Mehbooba Mufti also going to be asked to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai as a
condition for government formation in J&K?” adding another dimension of political one-
up man ship to the raging controversy of ideological war. As a patriot and veteran
soldier I am confused. I am wondering why a mountain is being made out of a mole hill.
Is Bharat Mata ki Jai a religious slogan or is it a political slogan? Why a statement made
by the head of a nationalist organisation has created so much of uproar, it in any case
was a loud thinking and not a diktat. Does patriotism as an ideology belong to a
particular social group or a political party or a pride of all Indians because to me Bharat
Mata Ki Jai is a way of invoking patriotism and nothing else?
The slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai owes its origin to the Indian freedom struggle much
before the RSS was born. The freedom struggle was neither a religious movement nor a
social or cultural movement. It was a nationalist movement in which Indians from all
walks of life participated. It was also not a political movement and hence no particular
political party is entitled to take credit for the freedom struggle or have exclusive rights
over the icons of the struggle. Indian National Congress was an umbrella organisation
under whose patronage all Indians who believed in non-violence as a means for
attaining independence participated in the freedom struggle. The point to be noted is
that “non-violence” was the common denominator and not a particular political ideology
among the leaders and members of Indian National Congress. It became a political
party at the time of independence and those not subscribing to its ideology discarded it
one by one giving birth to other political parties. After the early death of Sardar Patel, it
virtually became Nehru Congress and disintegrated after his death. The final blow came
in 1969 with a vertical split leading to formation of Congress (O) and Congress (R).
While most of the senior leaders of the freedom struggle vintage remained in Congress
(O), the Indira loyalists formed the Congress (R), the basis of the modern day Congress
party. Freedom struggle therefore is the legacy of all Indians and not the sole preserve
of Congress Party as claimed by most of its leaders. During freedom struggle Bharat
Mata became an icon to create nationalist feeling and bring people of all shades
(irrespective of caste or creed) together invoking patriotism. Soon the patriots idealised
Bharat Mata as “Shakti” leading to an artistic impression of portraying Bharat Mata as
Hindu goddess Durga draped in a tricolour Sari and carrying the tricolour flag-all

2. symbols of nationalism and not of a particular religion. Since we refer to our homeland
as motherland, honorific “Mata” was suffixed to Bharat, our nation. Reference as “Mata”
was meant to imbibe patriotism as well as remind all Indians to defend her like their own
mother. I find nothing offending in that. Every religion teaches to respect the mother.
In any case we are not the only nation that refers to our homeland as motherland. Even
Russians call Mother Russia and so do our neighbours Sri Lanka and Bangladesh all
practising and following different religious beliefs. Nehru in his classic Discovery of India
has beautifully illustrated the concept of Bharat Mata and meaning of Bharat Mata Ki
Jai. Referring to huge gathering of masses who greeted him with chants of Bharat Mata
Ki Jai, Nehru wrote: “India was all that they had thought and much more. The
mountains, the rivers, the forests and broad fields which gave them food, but what
counted ultimately was the people like themselves. Bharat Mata was essentially these
millions of people and victory to her meant victory to these people.” In essence Bharat
Mata Ki Jai means Victory of India or the Victory of Indians. Tell me why anybody
should have objection to chant Victory of India, a truly nationalist slogan. Will all those
opposing it tell me that when a Sikh friend of mine wishes me Sat Sri Akal and I
reciprocate by repeating the same do I become a lesser person? Similarly, when I say
Salam Aliakum to my Muslim colleague and he wishes me by saying Namaskar or Ram
Ram, does it in any way alter our beliefs? In a multi-cultural state these are the symbols
of brotherhood and should remain so. I thus fail to understand the logic behind making
such hue and cry about chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai- a symbol of nationalism. Why this
unnecessary fuss? My humble request to the pseudo-seculars of our country whose
sole agenda is to regain political space through religious machinations is to not to
trivialise the concept of patriotism and demean Bharat Mata Ki Jai as a slogan that has
Hindu nationalist roots. Patriotism is love for the nation with more emphasis on values
and beliefs and is not the monopoly of any particular religious group. A quick look at the
list of highest Indian gallantry award winners would set to rest all such doubts. Indian
Army, the most secular, apolitical and patriotic organisation patronises the slogan
Bharat Mata Ki Jai with pride and élan.
Bharat is the constitutionally recognised name of the nation that was left by the
Britishers when they partitioned India on the basis of two-nation theory. Bharat is a
multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation-state. All her citizens have pledged
to ensure her territorial integrity and hence any attempt in any form suggesting her
dismemberment is an anti-national act and highly condemnable. Such secessionist
thoughts need to be nipped in the bud and no leniency should be shown under the garb
of freedom of expression. Bharat Mata Ki Jai was a mantra of inspiration during the
freedom struggle and should continue to inspire the billions of Indians post-
independence especially today when a deliberate effort is being made to de-stabilise
Bharat Mata. Let us ponder over what Swami Viveka Nand said: “Do you love your
country? Then come, let us struggle for higher and better things; look not back, no, not
even if you see the dearest and nearest cry. Look not back, but forward!”