A political row erupted in Karnataka on Friday after a Congress MLA took permission from party chief Mallikarjun Kharge before leading a chant of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' (Hail, Mother India) slogan at an election rally in Kalaburagi.
During the event, Laxman Savadi, Congress MLA from Athani, addressed the crowd, stating, "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".
The Karnataka unit of the BJP was quick enough to react to the incident after video of Savadi's speech started doing rounds on social media.
Karnataka BJP Chief BY Vijayendra expressed disappointment over Savadi's reluctance, highlighting the incident as indicative of a larger cultural divide within the Congress. He also alleged that expressing patriotism and praising "Bharat Mata" was met with guilt and clarification within the Congress ranks, contrasting it with the BJP's unwavering commitment to nationalist ideals.
"It is rather very unfortunate and depressing to know that a senior leader like Laxman Savadi hesitates to openly raise the 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 leader trying to express his patriotism and praise "Bharat Mata" feels guilty and hence seeks to clarify his stand of raising the slogan to party chief," Vijayendra said.
"Today's incident reinforces the fact that Savadi's attempt to prove Congress' patriotism is a very futile effort and can't compare itself to BJP, which has imbibed the nationalistic and patriotic ideals very much ingrained as part of its core culture," he added.
Even Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka criticised Savadi's actions and claimed that his hesitation stemmed from witnessing Priyank Kharge advocating for those who chanted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans.
"MLA Laxman Savadi, who understood the true ideology of the Congress after seeing how Minister Priyank Kharge advocated on behalf of those who shouted the slogan 'Pakistan Zindabad', was now scared whether or not he should shout the slogan 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', and asked permission from Kharge. Whatever party you are in, you don't need any top leader's permission to shout 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' Savadi ji. If they misconstrue, so be it. Bharat Mata ji Jai!," he tweeted.
