Congress MLA seeks Kharge's approval to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', BJP calls it 'pitiful'

During an election rally in Karnataka's Kalaburagi, a Congress MLA took permission from party president Mallikarjun Kharge before leading a chant of Bharat Mata ki Jai' (Hail, Mother India) slogan, triggering a political row just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Congress MLA from Athani, Laxman Savadi, while addressing a gathering 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".

Following his comments, Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra expressed disappointment over Savadi's hesitation. "It's rather very unfortunate & depressing to know that a senior leader like Lakshman Savadi hesitates to openly raise the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' on a Congress platform infront 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 their national president," said Vijayendra.

"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.

Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka also condemned Savadi's actions and claimed that his hesitation came from witnessing Priyank Kharge advocating for those who chanted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans.