Oppn, BJP in war of words over nationalism

The political resolution adopted at the BJP national executive, which upped the ante on nationalism, has invited sharp criticism from the Opposition parties.

The Opposition has accused the ruling BJP of stoking the issue of nationalism to shroud its ‘failure’ in keeping promises. “Now to insist nationalism means only the slogan (Bharat Mata ki jai) that they want people to give is very very clearly an unfortunate replay of how (Adolf) Hitler used nationalism for the rise of fascism in Germany,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.

Senior Congress leader and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad ridiculed the BJP and said it should be the ‘last party’ to talk about nationalism.

He stated people of the country are ‘clever’ and understand that the debate is allegedly being stoked to divert their attention from BJP’s ‘failure’ in keeping poll promises of employment, development and price rise among others. 

“But they have totally, miserably failed. So the only agenda left with them is to divert the attention of people from such issues,” the senior Congress leader added.

JD(U) leader Pawan Verma seconded Azad and said the issue is being escalated also in view of forthcoming assembly polls in five states.

Countering the attack Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said chanting Bharat Mata ki jai was not a “certificate of nationalism”, but “opposing, abusing and criticising Bharat Mata does fall under category of ‘treason.’ 

“It is not a certificate of nationalism to chant Bharat Mata ki jai. But opposing, abusing, criticising Bharat Mata for sure falls in the category of treason, this they should understand,” he said.