Why Mohan Bhagwat want the whole world to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said to instill the feeling of patriotism, everyone should chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

“We want the whole world to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. We want to make Bharat rich, free from exploitation and full of self-respect. For that we will have to live that Bharat in our lives,” Bhagwat said at the launch of a book on the life of late Madan Lal Agarwal, co-founder of Friends of Tribals Society.

Earlier this month, the RSS chief’s remark that youth should be taught patriotic slogans triggered a debate after AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi refused to chant “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, citing he was not obliged by the Constitution to do so. AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan has also been suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly for his refusal to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

Bhagwat said that the word ‘Bharat’ was not limited to the physical boundary of the country but its traditional values were looked upon across the world. “Bharat is the only nation where Hindu traditions are still witnessed. There has been a deviation from morality in all other countries… but here, oldest traditions are maintained and followed…,” he added.

The RSS chief said after Partition, Pakistan did not stake claim over the name ‘Bharat’ because it does not accept the qualities which are in Bharat. “The Vedas, Dev Bhasha, Aadi Bhasha and even the grammar of Sanskrit was created in the region that now belongs to Pakistan… But they (Pakistan) took their own name and left the name ‘Bharat’ for us because the qualities, which they don’t accept are in Bharat,” Bhagwat claimed. Referring to Ramayana, whose veracity is questioned by many, Bhagwat said: “We say that it is very ancient but it is history.”

On a lighter vein, Bhagwat said he was lucky to be leading RSS. “I don’t know what would have happened if there was an election. But here, it is appointment… I am lucky,” he added.