Chennai: After KMDK MLA E R Eswaran’ comments in the Tamilnadu Assembly hailing the absence of the slogan Jai Hind in the Governor’s address triggered a row, the BJP sought to hit back by stating that its members would raise patrotic slogans like `Jai Hind’, `Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and `Vande Mataram’ in the House in the ensuing sessions.
In a statement here, BJP State Unit president L Murugan said these slogans would also be raised in the Assembly in neighbouring Union Territory of Puducherry, where a NDA government was formed.
Eswaran was elected to the State Assembly from Tiruchengode seat under the DMK’s symbol ‘Rising Sun’.
Taking objection to Eswaran’s remarks, Mr Murugan demanded an apology from Chief Minister M K Stalin as he had not condemned it till now.
Murugan said the DMK’s decision to address the Centre as ‘Union Government (`Ondriya Arasu’) and not Central Government is aimed at sowing the seeds of separatism and now comes the `Jai Hind’ episode.
The patriotic slogan `Jai Hind’ was actually given to the Nation by Tamil freedom fighter Chempakaraman. It was adopted by Indian National Army (INA) founder Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and later became India’s national slogan.
However, justifying it, Eswaran said his remarks were based on the ‘two-language policy’ and had nothing to do with patriotism.
While participating in the proceedings of the Assembly session that concluded on Thursday, Eswaran had noted that unlike the Governor’s address last year, after the DMK government assumed office, Jai Hind was not said by the Governor while concluding his address.
He said his comments were language-based, but some people were trying to distort it. Some individuals were trying to confuse the people and were linking it to his patriotism.
Eswaran said during the Governor’s address in the previous AIADMK regime, even though the speech would mention that the two-language policy would be implemented, it would conclude with Jai Hind.
The new government is also firm on the two-language policy, hence they did not conclude the Governor’s address with the Hindi slogan Jai Hind.
BJP State vice-president K Annamalai tweeted that the political discourse in Tamilnadu had hit a low.